


Just Tell Me

by Panda_Valentine



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-02
Updated: 2018-05-19
Packaged: 2019-04-17 14:13:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 97,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14190741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Panda_Valentine/pseuds/Panda_Valentine
Summary: What do you do when you're Eorzea's protector, but most of it wants you dead?Agree to marry the surrogate son of the Emperor of Garlemald and hope to Hells he's cute, obviously.((This is a very silly love letter to the Alternate Universe Arranged Marriage trope that was heavily prevalent on Fanfiction.net back when I first got into reading fan fiction.I sort of picture it being a dark romantic comedy, with a bit of action thrown in to move the plot along.It follows the basic premise and time line of A Real Reborn and Heavensward, minus certain Garlean interference as, in this universe Gaius made a play for throne of Garlemald, and won rather that attempting to subjugate Eorzea.Some chapters will be explicit.))Portraits of the Tribuni, Gaius, Cid and Dainty are being slowly worked on and uploaded here: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/daintylovesnaps





	1. Eorzean Roulette

PROLOGUE:

It was gray in Ishgard. The skies. The buildings. The disposition of the people.

Grey, and cold.

It was supposedly the dawning of a new age of peace in Ishgard, the war with the Dragons finally at an end thanks to the actions the Azure Dragoon, and the Lord Commander.

Yet one would never know it from the miserable countenances of the men and women outdoors at that early hour in the morning.

Aurora pulled her heavy woolen cloak tighter around her slender body as she hurried through the square towards the Haillenarte Manor. A couple soldiers eyed her as she went and Aurora quickened her step.

Her noble Fathers’ acknowledgment kept her safe…ish. Still there was no need to linger too long and find out if today was the day the Temple Guards decided her base-born status meant she could be assaulted without consequence.

For most the look of her kept them away.

As an Elezen and Au’Ra hybrid she was a strange sight to behold.

All gangly limbs and limbal ringed eyes that seemed too large for her face. The pale scales peeking out from beneath the same wild black hair that her Father was known for causing many to question if she was part dragon.

Most had given her a wide berth since her arrival in Foundation and residence at the Fortemps manor but with Edmont Fortemps currently under suspicion for his backing of Ser Aymeric the protection of her Fathers’ acknowledgment did not go as far as it once had for Aurora.

Especially as even her brothers seemed to loathe her existence. Emmanellian, before his exile, had completely ignored her and Artoirel, who would become the new Count if Edmont stepped down, openly disdained her. Of all of Edmont’s children it was only the late Haurchefant of the Silver Fuller who had shown the girl any degree of kindness, frequently letting her sleep at Camp Dragonhead to avoid the other two’s disapproval, if only for a while.

Lately Aurora had even taken to using Greystone out of respect for the fallen Knight.

The Haillenarte household was all a-panic when Aurora arrived, letting herself in the servants entrance as befit someone of her lower class before making her way to Belle’s room.

The beautiful brunette Elezen was sitting at her vanity, playing with her hair, trying to decide if she looked prettier with it up, or down and seemingly immune to the chaos of the household going on outside her bedroom door.

“Gods, I do wish they would fully shut up out there. One would think the world ending… again!” Belle remarked to her best friend as the slender Aurora let herself in.

“I do not suppose it is every day that one is expected to host the Emperor of Garlemald, Belle.” Aurora smiled at the milk-skinned beauty.

“I cannot see why that should signify to them. I’m the one being married off to his heir.” Belle rolled her eyes before assessing herself in the mirror again. “What do you think? Hair up, or hair down? What do you suppose Zenos will like best?”

“Having never met the man I could not possibly be expected to say….. but they do say his hair is prettier even than yours. Perhaps he will make you cut yours off so as not to compete.” Aurora teased and Belle threw a powder compact at her and missed.

At 19 Belle was not much older than the 16 year old Aurora, and barely old enough to be married. It was mere luck that she had hit her growth spurt early, when it was more common to occur after their 20th name day for Elezen.

In fact the dubious honor of felicitating an alliance between House Haillenarte and Emperor Gaius zos Baelsar should have fallen to her elder sister Laniaitte. 

Embarrassingly for Baron Haillenarte, however, upon learning of this Laniaitte had almost instantly taken advantage of Emmanellian Fortemps’ long standing crush on her and the pair had fled to Gridania together.

Leaving Belle to be offered in her sisters’ place.

Belle had accepted this with as much dignity as she could muster but, in the privacy of her room and the company of her best friend, she fully admitted to being sick to her stomach by the idea. Arranged marriages were quite the norm in Ishgardian Society but as all the High House progeny tended to play together as children and interact as adults the chances of knowing absolutely nothing about ones betrothed was slim to none.

Belle had been anticipating being married off to Emmanellian, if she was honest, although it was to Artoirel that her heart belonged. The families tended to be close, so she had spent a good deal of time with both brothers and was perpetually frustrated that Edmont would not conscious allowing Artoirel to marry someone who had no dowry to speak of.

Although she was certain that Artoirel felt similarly for her that dream was now well and truly dead for Belle and, as a loyal child of House Haillenarte she accepted that as best she could. 

As a female, subject to the whims of her noble father there was little else she could do, save hope that, should Zenos prove to be an utter monster, her Father loved her enough to call the whole thing off.

Details on her future husband were worryingly scarce. They knew he was of the Galvus line, which had passed the Throne of Garlemald from Solus zos Galvus to Varis yae Galvus until Gaius zos Baelsar had staged a military coup and been crowned instead.

In order to help keep the peace and with no children of his own bar an adopted daughter the Emperor had named the son of the man he had overthrown as his heir.

Zenos held territories in Doma, and Ala Mhigo and, should Belle and Zenos remain married for a full 10 summers the palace Doma would become Belle’s to do with as she pleased. 

She was not expected to provide an heir, according to her Father, the Elites of Garlemald would never accept a hybrid on the Throne after Zenos took it. However if children were produced over the course of the union they would be accepted members of the royal family and given rank and wealth befittingly.

It was actually shockingly generous, considering Ishgard, and House Haillenarte had nothing that Garlemald technically needed and it made Belle wonder aloud to Aurora what was wrong with Zenos that Gaius would source and pay so highly for a foreign bride.

Aurora had been capable of little more than merely shrugging. 

This was the sum total of information anyone had on Zenos, or Gaius zos Baelsar for that matter.

According to Baron Haillenarte the Garlean Emperor had no desire to continue the Might is Right policies of Solus, and the Galvus line and in fact wanted to forge alliances with the Eorzean city states, although how the Baron had come by this information and if it was trustworthy, he would not state.

As he was the only High House in Ishgard with true born daughters Baron Haillenarte had jumped at the opportunity to improve his families fortunes. If the cost of restoring his empty coffers was Belle, then so be it, whether Belle or her brother Francel approved or not.

Belle, having decided to wear her hair up, had begun the arduous task of brushing and braiding the waist length brunette locks. Aurora rose to help her, as was expected of her station, taking the brush from Belle’s hand and beginning to work.

“You need not do that.” Belle smiled at her friend kindly but Aurora merely shook her head in silence.

Beyond the door the Baron’s yelling and ordering the servants about could be heard but both women soundly ignored it. The entire house-hold was in a panic, rushing to make the run down estate as lavish and luxurious as possible for hosting the Emperor and his Heir.

 

ONE

 

“Belle, be reasonable. They are visitors not subject our laws.”

“Visitors!?” Belle spat, clutching her robe tighter around her, Aurora Greystone holding her tightly. “He raped half the women in the Brume and tried to rape me and you want to protect HIM?!”

Her rage was palpable, and justified. Her Fathers’ pathetic splutterings, attempting to justify that the alliance with Garlemald was more important than the honor of the women of the Brume sank Gaius' estimation of the man even lower.

“Zenos will submit to whatever punishment deemed suitable.” Gaius spoke firmly, glaring at his heir out of the corner of his eyes. The man looked smug and not in the slightest bit repentant, setting Gaius' teeth on edge.

“A Halonic trial… should suffice.” Baron Hallienarte offered, voice cowed.

“Have you taken leave of your senses!?’ Belle demanded, half lunging toward her Father but held back by Aurora. She knew he was craven, she knew he would sacrifice almost anything to restore the fortunes of House Hallienarte but she had always clung to her belief that his love for his daughter was worth more than the name of their House.

“A Halonic trial is a trial by combat. Wherein the accuser and accused face and Halone will guide the blade of the just.” Ser Aymeric explained, shooting an apologetic look at Belle. This was a gross travesty of justice but his hands were tied. 

Baron Hallienarte was within his rights to decide the best way for his House to be made whole.

“I’m a Noblewoman! I have no blade!” Belle reminded them, an anxious desperate note reaching her voice. Zenos has almost raped her, and now he stood there, smirking at her, as she clung to her best friend in her tattered dress and flimsy robe and her Father expected her to face him in battle.

She felt like the whole of Ishgard had gone mad.

Gaius didn’t catch what Aurora whispered to Belle, the slender, scaled woman had been embracing Belle tightly and protectively the entire time but, as had been her wont, remained silent. He saw the instant shift in Belle’s demeanor though. All the wind rushing out of the Elezen woman and she more or less sagged into her best friends’ arms.

“Belle reserves the right to select a champion.” Aurora spoke softly. “Please allow me a small measure of time to see Belle safely a-bed and I shall meet Zenos in the Vault directly.”

This elicited a sucked in breath from Ser Aymeric.

“You?” Zenos mocked, the woman barely came up to his midsection. 

“May Halone guide my blade.” Aurora answered passively, drawing Belle away from the group as Gaius grabbed Zenos’ collar.

“You will take whatever beating they prove capable of dishing out, you hear me, Zenos. And be damn thankful I don’t put you in a box to be shipped home myself.” Gaius snarled, yanking the younger mans face close to his own. Had he known Belle had the right to name a champion he would have volunteered himself at once.

An ugly sneer crossed Zenos’ handsome features but he otherwise made no reply.

 

“Take up your weapons.” Ser Aymeric directed.

Gaius could hear the reluctance in his tone. He could only imagine how uncomfortable this was making the Lord Commander.

It should not have been Aurora facing the taller, muscle bounce Zenos across the freshly swept stone floor of the chamber. As Gaius understood it, it should have been one of the Grand Ser’s, however the Heavens Ward had been missing in action for months now.

Still, something was bothering Gaius, and he couldn’t quite place what. Something about Ser Aymeric’ reaction when Aurora had named herself was sticking in Gaius’ mind. Aymeric had sucked in a breath in surprise but had done nothing to stop this. Aurora may have been base-born but there was nothing about her to suggest she was any less a gentle raised woman than Belle Hallienarte.

Her clothing was less ornate, as would be expected of an acknowledged love-child verse a true born noblewoman. But she was clad in similarly styled soft cottons and velvets.

Yet Ser Aymeric did nothing to stop this.

And why had Belle not called for one of the other Heroes of the Dragonsong War as her Champion? Surely the Azure Dragoon would have been a far better choice for this than the dainty Aurora Greystone.

“I request Ser Grinnaux’s axe.” Aurora spoke, her voice calm and clear. Gaius frowned. There was the faintest hint of an accent there. She pronounced “Grinnaux” ever so slightly differently.

“Granted.” Ser Aymeric nodded and she moved to remove it from the stand of weaponry at the side of the room, pausing to pray to the altar to Halone a moment as she did. Again, Gaius heard not her words but her prayer was different than what he had seen previously in Ishgard. She did not bow her head but instead looked into the Goddesses face reverently, allowing Gaius to read her lips that pouted forwards as she named her God.

 _Rhalgr_ – Gaius read.

Aurora was praying not to Halone, the Fury, but to the her Father, the Destroyer.

Gaius had a sudden, overwhelming feeling that Aurora Greystone was not who they claimed she was. It made perfect sense now why she spoke not, and why Ser Aymeric was hurrying this trial rather than waiting for the morning. The fewer people to witness the supposedly gentle, sweet Aurora hefting an axe that was almost as large as her entire torso effortlessly the better.

Zenos had not noticed that the grip she took on the axe was too precise, too perfect for a mere child and openly laughed at her.

“Have at you then!” Zenos sneered, turning a massive, blood red samurai sword in his hands.

“Zenos, don’t you dare!” Gaius erupted, seeing at once that Zenos had no intentions of pulling his punches, or taking a beating.

“Kill!” Zenos strafed across the room in a blur but his sword met empty air as it carved a graceful arch where Aurora should have been standing. Her axe met his back instead, dealing a heavy blow.

Nothing that the enhanced, augmented Zenos couldn’t shake off with a laugh, however, pivoting on one foot as his sword came around again.

And again met nothing but air.

Aurora was too quick. 

She ducked, twisted and strafed, dodging almost every blow Zenos could launch at her. Even when he tapped into the magitek augmentations that riddled his body and managed to land a few telling shots Aurora simply staggered back, shook them off, and continued to fight.

“Impossible.” Gaius murmured as Aurora wore Zenos down. 

She was so light, and so quick, able to keep dancing on her toes, landing a blow here and there and chipping away at the heavier, slower Zenos. She landed a kick to one of his legs, opening up a wound that momentarily stunned him.

She pressed her advantage, flames of aether erupting around her as she twirled, axe gliding through the air driven by her bodies momentum and slamming into Zenos hard enough to drop him to a knee.

She was getting stronger as he was getting weaker. 

“Rrrrrawr! REND!” Zenos growled, erupting back to his feet, magitek born lightning coalescing around him lancing lightning bolts around the room. Aurora had already been dodging, able to predict that a renewed attack was imminent. She danced to the far side of the room, out of range before strafing back in as Zenos has, slamming into him bodily.

The slender, slight Aurora should not have been able to knock the towering Zenos of his feet but she caught him at just the right angle, unbalancing him and forcing the blade from his hand. She was behind him in an instant as he dropped to both his knees this time, the blade of the borrowed axe at his neck.

“The punishment for rape is death. This trial has found him guilty.” Aurora growled, her glowing eyes raising to Gaius and her voice a challenge. “Do you really respect Ishgard, Lord Gaius? Or will you name some reason to deny his victims his head?”

“Zenos’ life was forfeit the very instant he laid an uninvited hand upon a woman.” Gaius pronounced and saw fear in the younger mans eyes. 

“You wouldn’t….” Zenos began but his voice faltered, an odd peace transforming his features that caught those viewing off guard.

“You defied your Emperor thrice. You are done.” Gaius retorted coldly, collecting himself swiftly giving Aurora a nod.

“...dearest friend.”

Aurora heard Zenos mutter the phrase, soft and sibilant but was already swinging her axe with a monstrous, untameable strength. Aether flames coalescing into a blinding burst of pink light as the weapon bit home. There was no time to pull her swing short and question what she had heard.

Zenos' head hit the floor several moments before his body did. Gaius watched the blood seeping from the corpse impassively before turning to Ser Aymeric and lightly put his hands behind his back. “I perceive that having his body laid in the Brume so that each of his victims may spit upon it personally would invite questions as to whom possessed the strength to kill him.”

This was said with a sideways glance at Aurora who was calmly returning the axe to the rack she had taken it from.

“As you say, your Grace. The Temple Knights will have it prepared for transport.”

“I thank you, Ser Aymeric.”

“If you please, your Grace, I believe Count Edmont de Fortemps is outside waiting to speak to you.”

“Excellent.”


	2. All These Things That I've Done

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gaius meets Dainty, and makes a bargain.

TWO

 

Gaius took his leave of the Lord Commander, noting that Aurora had disappeared in the interim. The constant, relentless cold of Ishgard and lightly drifting snow greeted Gaius as he stepped out of the Chapel. As Ser Aymeric had predicted the Count was waiting for him as was the Baron Haillenarte.

Edmont Fortemps bowed upon seeing him.

“Your Grace, may I….”

Gaius held up a hand to silence the Elezen man.

“Insult me not by offering me any mealy mouthed apologies on the loss of my heir or your daughters’ hand in it. Her loyalty to her friend is admirable, and inspiring. Especially when Belle’s own family…” Gaius shot a glare at Baron Haillenarte “… could not muster the same degree of it.”

“Aurora… won?” Hallienarte stuttered, having not expected that. Count Fortemps on the other hand merely bowed again, displaying to Gaius very clearly that the raven haired Elezen had never doubted that Aurora would be the victor.

“Clearly Halone guided her blade, would you not say?” Gaius answered, struggling to keep a mocking tone from his voice before falling into step beside a surprised Edmont Fortemps, leaving Baron Hallienarte standing alone in the cold. “You have the advantage of me, Count Fortemps. For you clearly know who, or what Aurora Greystone truly is, and I do not.”

“Yes.” Edmont agreed. “If you would accompany me to more private offices, your Grace, I shall endeavor to explain.”

Gaius nodded, noting that even at this hour they were not alone on the cobblestone streets of Ishgard. Soldiers from all 4 High Houses were going about their regular guard duties. Several saluted, or bowed to them as the high ranking men went by.

They had crossed the city, and entered Fortemps Manor before the Count spoke again. “Are you familiar with the Ul’Dah uprising, and the murder of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, your Grace.”

“Yes. It was a vast tragedy that warriors of their caliber should be laid low solely for the greed of a craven few.” Gaius nodded. “I was disappointed to learn their famed Eikon Slayer was killed also. I should very much have liked to have met a man capable of killing a Primal being.”

“Indeed, such men are rare, and far between. You must know the official version of what happened next. Vice Marshall Pipin Turpin of the Immortal Flames managing to retake the city, free his Father and restore Nanamo Ul’Namo to the throne, of course.”

“As you say.” Gaius replied impatiently, making a gesture for Edmont to get to the point.

“The famed Eikon Slayer of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn was not a man, your Grace, but an Au’Ra woman named Dainty.” Edmont explained and Gaius suddenly understood how “Aurora” had felled Zenos. “Much like Zenos the Ul’Dah Monetarists underestimated her to their fatal error. They considered not what seeing her friends cut down in front of her would do a woman who so devoutly worshipped the Destroyer.

She slaughtered them wholesale, not only them but any Soldier purchased with their coin. The streets of U’Dah ran red with blood. In the carnage the Ala Mhigan refugees rose up, using the chaos to loot the city. The Immortal Flames loyal to Ul’Dah, led by Pipin managed to put down that rebellion and restore order to the city. Dainty, however, had vanished.

Reports speak of her simply dropping her axe and walking out of Ul’Dah once the last person responsible for the murder of her friends had been separated from their head. I not know if that is true, I do know that it was to my late, illegitimate, son Haurchefant that Dainty turned after the Ul’dah uprising, and it is his surname she continues to bare. Dainty is my daughter but it is fully by marriage not bloodline. As it stands Belle Hallienarte, myself and Ser Aymeric are the only ones who know her true identity. And now your Grace, of course.

I thank you, sincerely, for the statement you offered the Baron at the Chapel. The fewer whom know of Dainty’s residence within Ishgard, the better. In the other city-states she is a wanted woman. There are many who believe that she ought stand trial for the bloody swathes that she carved through Ul’Dah. That it was not her place to stand as Judge, Jury and Executioner to the Monetarists or the Soliders she felled.”

“Ridiculous, who better but a woman who suffered so keenly at their hands.”

“I concur. Hence why you find Dainty shielded in my home. The isolationist policies of Ishgard have served me well thus far but I fear it will not be long before someone realizes “Aurora” is not a teen aged Au’Ra/ Elezen hybrid but a full grown Raen Au’Ra. The timing is too obvious for them not to extrapolate from there that Dainty and Aurora are one and the same. Especially when she insists upon parlaying with Dragons, slaying Nidhogg on the Steps of Faith and participating in Halonic trials for Belle’s honor.”

Edmont Fortemps gave a long suffering sigh that brought a genuine smile to Gaius’ features.

The manipulative Emperor turned this information over in his mind several times, trying to decide how best to turn Zenos' death to his advantage. Eventually, he leaned forwards to rest his hand on his knees, steepling his fingers as he assessed the Elezen lord. 

“We stand in a unique position to help one another, Count du Fortemps.”

“How so, your Grace?”

“You have an adopted daughter. One for whom Eorzea is becoming increasingly dangerous. A fully trained warrior who is already well versed at portraying a refined gentlewoman who is comfortable at court. I have a surrogate son. One who, although he will never be in line for the throne, is a target to those from whom I took the throne. I understand Fortemps needs not the wealth promised to Hallienarte for their trueborn daughters’ hand but let me be clear, I would be personally grateful,very grateful indeed, to bring home a pretty Eorzean wife for Cid. Particularly one for whom loyalty and wholesale slaughter are not lacking traits.”

Edmont could not help but stare at the Garlean Emperor, eyes widening in absolute shock at the suggestion.

His instinct was to refuse at once, even as his mouth began to form a polite refusal he found himself second guessing his own words.

Dainty belonged to him, to be bartered or sold, not. Yet Edmont could not deny that there were few places on their Star where she would be safer than in Garlemald.

The longer she stayed hidden the more desperately the Eorzean City states hunted her, in particular Limsa Lominsa, which feared a renewed Primal attack by the kobolds at any moment.

Nor could Edmont deny that a grateful Garlean Emperor was a powerful ally that few could boast.

He would be a fool not to at least ask Dainty if she would consider it. None save Hydalyn could order Dainty to do anything yet the woman took it into her mind to do and agree to the strangest of things sometimes.

Dainty would have to move on from Ishgard sooner or later, thus far it was her blade alone that was capable of turning back the Horde from the walls of Ishgard, even if Ser Aymeric arranged it so that the general population believed it to be the doing of Estinien Wyrmblood. Once Dainty fled Ishgard there would be none to stand between them and Nidhogg’s children should hostility between their peoples break out anew.

There was also no guarantee that the Grand Ser’s may not manage to escape their Primal bonds and return. The Count shuddered to think what such fanatical fundamentalists would do upon finding Ishgard in parlay with the Dragons of Anyx Trine.

The Count rose, opening the door to direct a steward to have his daughter brought to him immediately. 

By the time “Aurora”, joined them, dressed in a pretty white nightgown and warm velvet robe Edmont’s thoughts had turned to Dainty herself.

As much as he longed to protect Haurchefants’ beloved for the rest of her life he knew he could not.

The other Houses would not hesitate to surrender her to the Eorzean city-states if they imagined for a moment that she might bring danger to their doors.

“Here I am, Father.” “Aurora” spoke sweetly, moving into place on the floor at Edmont’s feet. As a base-born child she would not sit beside him, or his royal guest.

“No need for pretense, Dainty. The Emperor could hardly be expected to believe you a gentle, untrained teenager after your performance at the trial.” Edmont replied as she played the part of a dutiful child.

“Halone guided my hand, nothing more.” The Au’Ra replied automatically, looking every part an innocent child, her raven black hair swept up in a loose chignon.

“Clever of her, since it was to Rhalgr that you prayed.” Gaius observed and Dainty cast him a small frown, surprised that he had caught that from the spectators area of the Chapel.

Edmont held out his hands, drawing her to her feet so that she could sit beside him.

“I know Haurchefant wanted to protect you for the rest of your days, Dainty, and Halone knows, that could I shield you for him, I would! Yet I fear Baron Haillenarte will look too closely into your victory at the Vault. Especially as it cost him such an invaluable son-in-law. With the price on your head inching toward millions I cannot promise he would not be desperate enough to sell you out if he learned to truth.” 

Dainty looked downcast. 

She had hoped that, with Ser Aymeric's friendship and in her debt, that Ishgard would remain safe for her at least a little while longer. The Lord Commander had done so well to hurry the trial, and keep both it and her a secret but she knew that the Count was correct.

Money did strange things to the minds of men, as the death of the Scions had long since proven to her.

“Then I must leave for Sharlayan, or Othard, at once. I dare not risk House Fortemp being harmed and held to task for my deeds. Or perhaps I ought go to Garlemald?” Dainty asked, glancing at Gaius with an arched eyebrow.

There could be little other reason that he was being included in this conversation.

Edmont gave a small chuckle, reminded once again at almost unholy Dainty's perceptiveness.

“His Grace has offered Fortemps an alliance, through “Aurora's” marriage to his surrogate son. I will stand behind your decision, my child. Never doubt that. But I urge you to consider that sanctuary behind Garlemalds unequalled walls is not likely to be found anywhere else.”

“If you have a son why was Zenos your heir?” Dainty asked, turning to look at Gaius, not removing her hands from Edmonts’

“Surrogate son.” Gaius reminded her. “The son of a late, close friend whom I have had a hand in raising since his 1st name day.”

Dainty accepted this, removing her hands from Edmonts and tucking a length of escaped black hair behind one cranial projection gracefully. As Gaius watched there was a shift in her body and eyes. Her spine straightened, just a little, and her eyes focused with a maturity that far outstripped the teenager Aurora was supposed to be.

She was a talented actress, no doubt.

“So he is not royal then and would have a normal life?” Dainty asked in what Gaius presumed was her normal speaking voice. It was deeper than what she affected for “Aurora” and held a slight accent that Gaius now recognized as Lominsan. “A life that is his own and not a life like Artoirel, or Belle?”

“I knew him not but I believe I could compare Cid with your late husband, Haurchefant. He was within the political circle of House Fortemps but free to marry an Au’Ra fugitive at his discretion. Similarly Cid is a High Ranking Minister within Garlemald, yet he is free to spend his days focusing on science, and innovation.”

“Are you truly considering this, Dainty?” the Count questioned, surprised. He had honestly expected her instant and total refusal.

“Edmont, I trust your word with my life. If you tell me Ishgard is growing unsafe for me then it is also unsafe for you to continue shielding me. I cannot ask you to put your life on the line for me.”

“Haurchefant would have….”

“If Haurchefant wanted a say in my life he shouldn’t have left me alone in the world!” Dainty snapped, displaying for the first time to Gaius a hint of her true, fiery temper.

Gaius couldn’t help but chuckle at her indignant expression. All of a sudden it was not so hard to believe that such a delicate slip of a thing was an Eikon Slayer, her purple and orange eyes flashing dangerously.

“Although I gave you my full leave to do so your removal of Zenos' head puts me in a very difficult situation.” Gaius informed Dainty. “Cid has long been a target, for my crimes, for his value to my plans but now you have added a grieving Father to the list of those who want him dead. Prior to this, for all his hatred of me, Varis respected too highly Cid's abilities with Magitek to put a period of his life. I have little doubt Varis will gladly deliver my son to me as I will deliver his son to him given an ilm of opportunity. Although I can do much to leash Varis, I cannot be everywhere at once. You may very well be the only being on this planet capable of protecting Cid at this point.”

“Crimes of irrational passion are always the most violent.” Dainty observed softly, mostly ignoring Gaius' attempts to guilt her, and be manipulative. If she agreed to this it would be to protect House Fortemps above all else. She turned her face to the Count, resting a gentle hand on his arm. “Accept the alliance with Garlemald as my sincerest thank you to House Fortemps for protecting me so, Edmont. I will go with his Grace.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Cid has no idea what Gaius is plotting for him.


	3. I Wore Black. You Wore White.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cid meets Dainty. It goes.... well.... ish. For Gaius.

“The last box you sent back from Eorzea had Zenos’ headless corpse in it. Do I dare ask what you’ve brought back in these ones?”

Zenos' body had been sent on a head in a smaller skiff so that it was met with no pageantry upon its arrival in Garlemald, as was befitting a traitor.

This jovial teasing, spoken in a pleasantly deep male voice gave Dainty her first impression of her future husband. She peaked from within the folds of the heavy velvet cloak she wore, catching just a glance of a tall, white haired and bearded man standing alone on the airship landing as Gaius stood, hands lightly clasped behind his back, waiting for the gang-plank to be correctly placed so that he could step from the barge onto Garlean soil once more.

She had not had much opportunity to question Gaius, or the crew about Cid on the journey, as they were wholly occupied with flying the massive airship.

Gaius had given her a very brief description of her future husband last night before the advanced hour called them to their beds although Dainty had learned one key piece of information.

That Gaius considered Cid the motivating factor to turn his attentions away from the subjugation of Eorzea. As one of Hydaleyn's chosen this was very interesting news to Dainty indeed.

Fortunately the long airship journey had given her ample time to take the black out of her hair. Now that there was no need to pretend to be related to Edmont de Fortemps Dainty could let her natural curls and preference for pastel tones dictate her hair style. 

Dainty lingered in the shadows, taking the time to assess the man she would be married too before the sun next rose.

He struck her as handsome.

She was surprised by this, having not expected a Scientist and Engineer be quite so muscular.

He wore his hair long, again surprising Dainty and lending credence to Gaius words about Cid being part of the Emperor’s court but mostly free to do as he pleased. Clearly that extended to grooming and clothing, as the man followed not the strict military protocols Dainty had observed of all Garleans she had met so far.

Dainty was pleased to see that Cid stood a full head shorter than Gaius did, making him tall in comparison to her, but not preposterously so. Almost everyone Dainty met towered over her, it was a relief to see her new husband would not.

Gaius laughed at Cid’s light teasing as the younger Garlean gave him a respectful salute before Gaius sauntered from the airship and his tone grew serious;

“What are you doing here? I gave you specific orders not to leave the compound whilst ever I was not around to keep Varis on the leash.”

“Relax, I had a full magitek escort.” Cid assured him, giving a gesture over his shoulder. “Your lapdog let no harm come to me.”

Standing respectfully behind heavy steel gates a contingent of soldiers stood at attention, their Commander, a Tribunus Laticlavus who had been at Magitek school with Cid, was mounted upon a custom built blood red Magitek Reaper. The soldiers’ eyes were fixed firmly two paces in front of them so as not to gawk at the returned Lord Gaius but the Tribunus watched them openly.

“Ah, Nero.” Gaius mused. “I did not think he could be so well trusted.”

Gaius had honestly counted Nero as one of the people with designs on Cid's life, although he would not admit that out loud.

“I have said it afore, Gaius. Nero is petty, jealous, and conniving, but he knows which side his bread is buttered on. Especially with Zenos having arrived home in a box and your suddenly requiring a new heir-apparent.” Whilst-ever Gaius lived and was on the throne Cid would have no problem trusting the armor clad Nero. “Besides, what sort of a friend would I be if I did not come to greet you home?”

“I confess, I am glad you did, as I have brought you a present.” Gaius grinned, seizing upon the opening and stepping aside to gesture Dainty forwards. He had intended to take Dainty to the Garlond villa and estates to make the introductions but since Cid had managed to wrest himself away from his inventions long enough to see some sunshine Gaius thought now was as good a time as any.

Cid frowned as what he had mistaken as merely shadows from the corner of his eye suddenly stood, revealing itself to be a small cloaked figure. He felt his mouth drop open as it walked gracefully to Gaius’ side, lifting down the hood of the dark velvet cloak to reveal ringlet curled mint green hair and delicate, scaled features. 

“Dainty Greystone, meet Cid nan Garlond.” Gaius announced with a smirk.

“A pleasure to meet you, Ser.” The woman spoke in Eorzean accents and curtseyed prettily, leaving Cid fumbling for words.

He looked at her, then back to Gaius, then at her.

She was tiny, the top of her head barely reaching his collarbones and the cloak swam on her form, utterly engulfing it. Cid had a sudden, awful feeling that the pretty scaled being was no woman, but a mere child.

As much as Cid respected Gaius he was also aware that the elder mans’ tastes ran towards the darker and more violent. He had witnessed Gaius gift slaves to people before and, despite Cid being repulsed by the idea, he would not at all put it past Gaius to give him the same style of gift.

“What did you do?!” Cid demanded, stumbling over his words in trying to ask 7 questions at the same time.

“You requested a loyal wife, with no ties to any Garlean house, who you can trust implicitly. So I have brought you one.” Gaius announced, relishing his surrogate sons’ reaction. He had been looking forwards to this the entire flight home.

“I was joking!” Cid protested, aghast.

“I am not. And I speak as your Emperor, not your friend, Cid nan Garlond.” Gaius replied, drawing himself up to his full height as his voice descended to a dangerous purr.

As Dainty watched Cid stilled, and then bowed.

“My Lord.”

“Better. You were being incredibly rude to your new bride. Cid, you may take her cloak and then return home to prepare your estates for your new wife. I know how often you neglect to have food in the house and I highly suggest you rectify that immediately.” Gaius warned, then chuckled with Cid looked guilty. “Dainty, you may attend me to learn about Garlemald until this evening.”

Gaius knew his word would be unquestioned, leaving Cid to hold his hands out for Dainty’s cloak obediently. It was far too warm in the north of Ilsaberd for such heavy attire, she was glad to be wearing a pretty chiffon dress, adorned with fabric flowers and loose flowing sleeves now that she needed no protection from the frigid temperatures at airship altitude.

“Please be at ease. I am here of my own free will.” Dainty spoke quickly as she removed the cloak. 

Cid was relieved to see the body of a woman, not a child, clad in the pale dress. Breasts, hips and waist revealed along with a delicate filigree of scales at her throat and wrists as the cloak was removed and handed off to him.

Her hand lingered on his arm momentarily. She knew he had mistaken her for a teenager who had barely reached her majority. They always did. She caught his eyes, determined to reassure him before Gaius refused them any further opportunity to speak; “I am not what you think I am.”

Gaius, in a good mood to be returned to Garlemald, leveled a finger at Cid; 

“No plotting to “rescue” her back to Ishgard either.”

Cid looked guiltier, earning him a sharp bark of laughter from Gaius, who knew his surrogate son very well. “Come along, Dainty. I have to give Varis a stern talking to for raising such a cunt of a son and embarrassing me.”

Cid watched them go realizing she had a small, draconic looking tail bouncing along in time to her steps as she walked dutifully behind Gaius.

“Varis” turned out to be Varis yae Galvus, a blond, stern looking man with long hair and dressed in finely tailored Garlean robes. He wore a permanent sneer, as if he had just smelled something distasteful, that neither increased nor decreased when Gaius came into his view.

He was standing over the box that contained his sons mortal remains, his features making it impossible to tell his feelings on the matter.

“Who did this?” Varis asked, his voice displaying as few emotions as his face did.  
It was a thin, wavering voice.  
Cold, as if they were merely discussing the weather but Dainty could feel the palpable burning anger in Varis.

Despite Gaius standing less than 3 ilms away from him, and Varis clearly being the superior in strength and height the blonde man man no movement to strike the Emperor down. 

No doubt due to the soldiers that stood in attendance in every corner, and doorway. Men loyal to Gaius, not Varis.

“Who do you think.” Gaius sneered. “This is what happens to traitors, Varis. Remember that.”

“Zenos was the pinnacle of training, and augmentation and you are a jumped up little toad. You did not do this. I demand to know; who did this?”

“You get to demand nothing of your Emperor, Varis, unless you want to end up in a box next to your rapist son.”

“You are no Emperor of mine.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Gaius waved a hand lazily. He had heard it all before. “Bold talk for a man with no army. You’re alive because I allow you to be.”

Dainty admitted to being curious as to why Gaius did make such an allowance although knew better than to speak up at that moment and draw attention to her presence.

It was to one of his loyal XIVth that Gaius turned his attention to now, apparently satisfied that Varis would hold his tongue from here out. 

The man Gaius addressed wore armor was much more ornate than the others and the gunblade at his hip larger, marking him as higher rank.

“Take the corpse to the ovens and see that all trace of it is reduced to ash. We wouldn’t want Varis here getting any clever ideas about cloning or reviving him, would we?” Gaius taunted. 

The man saluted sharply, moving to carry out those orders and doling out orders to his men.

“I will deliver your son to you in the same state you have delivered mine to me if it is the last thing I do.” Varis snarled, voice finally betraying all the emotion that his face did not.

“No.” Gaius smirked. “You won’t. Come along, Dainty, we shall witness the funeral pyre.”

Gaius moved to follow Zenos’ coffin to the oven it would be incinerated in. Varis on the other side and Dainty at his heels. She was struggling to understand how Varis could be such a threat Cid as to make Gaius feel that the white haired man required her protection.

Varis seemed utterly leashed to her. Fortunately for Dainty she had drawn the attention of one of the legionnaires escorting the corpse.

“Pardon me for staring.” He bowed, even though she was clearly not of Garlean blood, she was in attendance of the Emperor, and therefore someone of note. “We don’t see too many female Au’Ra here in the capital. Just the big males.”

Dainty curtseyed, unsure what to say.

“No need for that, Dainty. As a cen Garlond you’ll outrank them several times over.” Gaius corrected her, amused.

“Garlond! My apologies for being so forward, ma’am!!” the soldier stuttered, and gave her a Garlean salute. 

Dainty noted Varis’ assessing her from the corner of her eyes and did her best to appear a vapid teenager who was overwhelmed by everything around her.

She gave a light smile to the soldier who saluted her. 

It was not her nature to ask questions when silent observation would get her the information she needed far quicker but a couple leading questions to soldiers who were happy to gossip proved helpful. She was able to earn more about her future husband from listening to the soldiers chatter among themselves.

The XIVth spoke of Cid nan Garlond with clear admiration and helped Dainty understand why Cid, who appeared to be an unassuming Engineer, needed such protection.

Gaius' ascension to the throne had been a Military coup.

Varis had won the war of succession but, upon being crowned the Garlean army had stormed the palace and crowned Gaius in his place.  
Although Varis had the loyalty of the Elites, and the Optimates Gaius had the loyalty of the common soldier.

As 1 far outnumbered the other Varis had been faced with the choice of abdication, or death.

Gaius had bought the loyalty of the army with the promise to bring the soldiers home, and end the wars that benefitted only the Elites of Garlean society.

Every man and woman in the Garlean army had lost a loved one on foreign soil to secure territories that were then divided up among the ruling class, with no reward save promotion within the army coming to those whose blood and bodies earned those victories.

After decades of warfare and lives lost under Solus, and no guarantee that Varis didn’t intend more of the same, the army had backed the charismatic, manipulative Gaius van Baelsar in an almost cult-like manner.

That fervor only heightened as Gaius made good on his promise in the following years.

Without the endless wars as a convenient source of employment the returning Soldiers would need to be put to a different kind of work and Garlemald would need to transform from an economy built on slave labor, tributes from foreign lands and harsh class divides to one of industry and export, which was where Cid’s magitek ability came into play.

The soldiers had no problem addressing the man as a genius, and prodigy. They praised his weaponry but spoke of what he had created to better the city and their lives in almost reverent tones.

Dainty learned that the quick travel system in Garlemald was Cid’s design, as were most of the airships currently in use for transporting goods and people to the Capital.  
His engines were so efficient that it reduced the cost and travel time across the board by almost 25%.

Suddenly peoples from far flung provinces were able to afford to bring their wares to the Capital to sell, as well as buy items in the city that they had once never had access to. Goods that used to spoil travelling such a long distance could now make such a journey safely. Exotic foods, clothing and goods were flowing into Garlemald as people opened shops in the city, and new taxes quickly followed.

City conveniences flowed out of the city to the smaller, quiet providences as people seeking a quieter life but not wanting to give up their modern life styles quickly followed. Cid’s quick travel system was being built in towns all across Garlemald, allowing even those injured in war and the elderly to move around their towns and cities and contribute once more.

The economy was booming in a way normally only associated with the conquering of a new land and peoples.

Without the forward leaps in technology Cid’s designs provided Gaius’ plans would dissolve almost instantly. He would be forced to revert to the slave and warfare economy, breaking his promise to the army and compromising their loyalty. 

Which would leave him open to being deposed.

Cid was the keystone of Gaius' plans, remove him and the precious balancing act would come tumbling down.

This was why there was a target painted so indelibly on Cid nan Garlond’s back. Not just by Varis as revenge for Gaius usurping the Throne but by the Elites and Optimates who were very comfortable with the way things had always been and who believed in Solus’ Might is Right policies.

To them Gaius’ radical policies of coalition, not conquest was an affront to everything Garlean, and the superiority of the Garlean people.

Dainty had realized back in Ishgard that Gaius had no doubts of the superiority of Garleans above all other races. He believed not in the notion that all men are equal, 

His policies were nothing more than a means to an end. 

For the foreseeable future Garlemald would continue to need a steady stream of cheap labor to compensate for that which no longer came from subjugated races. Cheap labor that could no longer be sourced through warfare, thanks to his promise to bring home all the soldiers.

Everything he did was a matter of self-preservation, first and foremost, including taking the Throne itself.

In opposing the White Raven, and attempting to circumvent the Calamity Gaius and his Tribuni, along with Cid and the XIVth had been operating outside of Emperor Solus’ orders. The White Raven had Solus’ favor, his actions, as madcap as they were, had been fully sanctioned by the then Emperor.

There was no hero’s welcome awaiting Gaius, the XIVth and his Tribuni in Garlemald. They would be arrested as Traitors. Cid likely stripped of his rank, and wealth and worked to death and the others executed and burned as Zenos was.

Gaius had been faced with 3 options.

A Traitors death and their names expunged from history. An untenable option to a man of Gaius’ ego.

Defection to Eorzea, if the City States would even take them, which was questionable. Gaius liked not the idea of a paupers life on Foreign soil.

Or, with nothing else to lose, taking the Throne from those who would label him a Traitor. Might is Right could mean that, with the might of the army behind him, Gaius van Baelsar had just as much right to the throne as Varis yae Galvus.

So too was keeping Varis alive, and naming Zenos his heir, an act of self-preservation for Gaius.

Although the Elites were outnumbered by the common man in Garlemald they were still a very powerful subset within the state. To keep them in line Gaius had sold them on the idea that, upon Gaius death, the Throne would revert to the Galvus line that was believed to be so vastly superior to all else.

It was very much a cold war, if the Optimates attempted to usurp Gaius he would put every male Galvus to the blade. If he every male Galvus to the blade then the Optimates would murder Cid, Gaius, the Tribuni and burn Garlemald to the ground trying to seize the throne for themselves.

As much as Gaius would have liked to have put a period on Varis’ life, and spit on his corpse, this method allowed the Elites to reluctantly swallow the rule of zos Baelsar as nothing more than a footnote in the glorious reign of the Galvus line.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had insomnia when I wrote this. I can only hope I conveyed properly why Cid is so vital to Gaius


	4. One Grumpy Garlean

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cid is NOT happy, about any of this.  
> Gaius thinks that that is hilarious and Nero isn't complaining either.

Cid sat in a corner, arms folded across his chest and glaring moodily at the opposite wall to Nero tol Scaeva’s unbridled delight.

The platinum blonde Tribunus smirked at his rival, and shared an amused look with Livia sas Junius.

Neither could fathom how, or why Gaius had taken it into his head to insist Cid marry a foreign born stranger, and a strange scaled slip of a thing at that, but both were utterly enjoying Cid’s misfortune.

“All these years enjoying the privilege of being Gaius’ favorite and it finally bites you in the ass.” Nero taunted, unable to resist getting a couple licks in.

Cid’s eyes focused on him, narrowed, then looked away.

He wanted to return in kind.

A biting, nasty reply about Nero being victim to Gaius scheming next because Nero had ever come in second behind himself hovered just at the tip of his tongue but Cid bit it back.

It wasn’t worth the energy to get into an argument when the time could be better spent plotting how the Seven Hells to get out of this.

Gaius was undoubtedly expecting Cid to pull some sort of escape attempt, which was why he had sent no less than his entire Tribuni to ensure Cid did not abscond from the Garlond Estates before the deed could be done.

It was also no doubt why everything was being done in a rush.

Gaius had sent his own personal staff from his Summer Villa to prepare the long unused ball room at the Garlond Estates for a lavish dinner, and had ordered the actors and actresses of the Imperial Theatre company, to cancel their evenings review in order to be entertainment.

Cid could only internally laugh at the look that must have crossed his friend, Jenomis cen Lexantale’s, face when he got that missive, not that anyone was at liberty of saying no the Emperor of Garlemald.

“Now, now, Nero. This is a cause for celebration.” Livia purred. “For now I never again have to live in fear of Gaius trying to pair off Cid and myself!”

Gaius hadn’t attempted anything of the sort in over a decade, although Cid did fully admit that it had happened. When they were teenagers Gaius had made some subtle attempts at encouraging his surrogate son and adopted daughter in each other’s direction but neither had taken the bait and any attempts had ceased after Livia lost her temper and screamed at Gaius that her love was for him and him alone.

An unkind response of taking the Eorzean stranger over Livia sas Junius gladly occurred to Cid but again he bit it back.

Again, it wasn’t worth the energy. Livia was unstable, and already hated him. There was no point feeding her jealousy born grudge.

Instead Cid looked at the third member of the Tribuni, raising his eyebrows curiously;

“Well? It seems like it is your turn to let me have it.” Cid commented to the Roegadyn. “Since the other two have taken such pains to get theirs in.”

To Cid’s knowledge Rihtahtyn sas Arvina held no grudge against him but he could never be sure. He honestly hadn’t known Nero had developed a nasty rivalry with him in Magitek School until they had been out of it several years.

Rihtahtyn gave a sympathetic smile, and shook his head. He was loyal to Gaius, and owed the man his life many times over. When none else would accept him as anything other than an army grunt it was Gaius that had given him the opportunity to rise beyond the limits of his blood line, promoting him to Tribunus on his strength and skills.

That loyalty extended to Gaius’ surrogate son. If Gaius saw something exemplary in Cid nan Garlond then Rihtahtyn accepted his Emperor’s word unquestioning.

“I don’t envy you where you sit, Cid but the thought occurs; you are Gaius’ favorite. Something about this woman impressed Gaius so utterly he thought her worthy of his most favorite and protected person. I should certainly like to know what Eorzean could accomplish so impossible a task.”

Cid’s eyebrows quirked up at that, considering the point.

Gaius was proud of his Garlean heritage, to the point of arrogance. Even if he didn’t necessarily believe in the Might is Right policies of Solus and the Galvus line Gaius definitely believed in the superiority of the Garlean peoples over the other races.

Gaius was also a jealous and manipulative man, he wouldn’t surrender half of Cid’s loyalty to a new wife if Gaius wasn’t getting something very, very good out of the deal. It finally occurred to Cid there was something more than a simple alliance with an Eorzean city state going on.

The door opened, showing the unmasked and desperately amused face of Emperor Gaius zos Baelsar. His hair, black and shot through with salt, had been slicked back and helmet removed in deference to the occasion.

Otherwise the man was clad in full regalia, and towered over the slender, white clad Au’Ra at his side.

Dainty Greystone looked even tinier in comparison.

“Time to go, Cid.”

“Great. Did you at least bring me a cigarette before you walk me to the firing squad?” Cid snorted, rising.

She had changed into a sleek form fitting gown of white silk, with a pretty mermaid like train. Her hair twirled up into a bun with little wispy curls and a crown of flowers. A long veil of impossibly delicate lace added to the train of fabric behind her.

It occurred to him she was actually quite pretty.

Au’Ra were rare in Garlemald but he had seen members of the peoples before enough to know that some had not been as fortunate with the placement of their scales as Dainty was.

“Ser.” She smiled, tactfully not commenting on his comparing his impending nuptials to an execution. Her hand was tucked into Gaius' arm.

Gaius gave a nod of his head, dismissing the Tribuni to the Ballroom for pre-dinner drinks, Nero and Livia sniggering between themselves as they went, and Rihtahtyn shooting him a sympathetic glance before departing. The massive man’s words regarding her having impressed Gaius somehow quickly forgotten now that the fateful hour was upon him.

Dainty slipped her hand into the crook of the arm Cid reluctantly offered her, turning her eyes up to his and hoping for a moment to reassure him again that she was here willingly.

Cid, however, was wholly occupied fully glaring at Gaius' back as they walked.

“Not even 10 minutes alone to get to know her?” Cid scowled.

“I would rather not find out what Magitek decoy your agile mind cooked up to cover your escape, Cid.” Gaius retorted, clearly highly amused.

Dainty giggled into one scaled hand, and offered;

“I have not a cigarette but I do have a flask stashed in my garter if you need a little liquid courage.”

Despite himself Cid couldn’t help but look at her, then looked her up and down. The gown seemed tailored to her form so perfectly there surely couldn’t be anywhere to hide a flask.

“Where?”

“Right thigh in the back, just above the knee. There’s a knife on the left though so be careful if you grab for it.”

“A knife?! Dare I ask why you think you need that?” Cid asked, slightly insulted that she thought he might harm her enough that she would be carrying a blade.

“I don’t trust that blond.” Dainty replied, eyes shifted to the left momentarily as if she could look behind her to where Nero and Livia had departed to the Ballroom, sniggering among themselves.

“Which one?”

“Take your pick.”

Cid smiled, despite the situation. She had said she wasn’t what he thought she was and he was starting to believe her. Dainty smiled back at him, pleased to have coaxed one out of him. “I am kidding about the knife, not the flask though, help yourself.”

“I’m not sure we’re well enough acquainted for me to put my hands up your skirt.” Cid looked uncomfortable that the notion.

“Yet.”

Cid looked at her out of the corner of his eyes, rapidly realizing his first assessment of the Au'Ra was completely wrong. He had been too invested in yelling at Gaius to really take her measure but had assumed she would be shy and reserved.

The smile Dainty wore, her hand resting confidentially on his arm, had nothing to do with being shy.

Gaius, well familiar with the layout of the Garlond estates from having spent many a late evening there, debating and discussing with Midas led them up to the second floor. It was mostly dark, and white sheets had been thrown over what Dainty assumed to be statues and busts, giving the whole room an ghostly feel.

The most central room was a large, and mostly devoid of furniture save some paintings, or mirrors covered with sheets.

It was dominated, however by a lavish crystal chandelier. Like everything else in Garlemald it was powered by the massive ceruleum plant at the eastern edge of the city and seeing the chandelier light up at the mere flick of a switch impressed Dainty, who came from a realm of oil powered lanterns, candles and glow stones.

Garlean technology had always far outstripped Eorzea in almost unfathomable magnitudes. What Gaius took for granted, turning on a light in a dark room, was entirely new to the Au’Ra.

Cid mistook the look on her face as being impressed with the chandelier itself.

The dazzling centerpiece shone glittering light over the large room.

A noticeable layer of dust coated almost everything.

“Romantic enough, I hope.” Gaius offered.

Cid mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like “fuck off.”

“It will serve.” Dainty murmured, most of her attention still held by the room and finding it hard to stay focused on the fact that she was about to be married.

Why was everything covered in sheets, and closed up? Why had it been untouched in what appeared to be at least 10 summers or more.

Gaius had spoken of the Garlond Family being wealthy, and well favoured by the former Emperor. She was certain that there should have been an extensive staff, keeping even the unused rooms in pristine condition for their Master.

She supposed it ought to make her nervous, being married to a stranger that she knew very little about but her cold heart reminded her logically that she had agreed to all of this quite willingly, so there was little use being upset about it. Beside her Cid was almost jumping out of his skin with jitters but she was calm almost to the point of numbness.

Dainty looked towards Cid, a sudden black and white vision tapping before her mind.

 

_A white haired man, early twenties, stocky but not yet quite so muscular as he would become. A Roegadyn and a Lalafell at his heels running down a magitek lined alley. Up ahead, an airship, they were struggling to reach it before someone caught up to them._

_She couldn't see who pursued them but the pale haired teenager turned back at the last, allowing himself to the caught. A heavy, armored hand falling onto his shoulder from the darkness behind him._

_The Lalafell and the Roegadyn looked heartbroken, but made it onto the airship and took to the skies._

 

“Don’t you dare.” Cid was growling, shaking a finger at Gaius as Dainty tuned back in, neither man seemed aware she had momentarily been years in the past. “Don’t you dare make me recite bloody vows like I’m not here only because you ordered it!”

“Come, come, Cid! Its Dainty’s wedding day too. You could at least give her something nice to remember.” Gaius teased, smirking and utterly enjoying the look of mutiny on his surrogate son’s face. He rarely got an opportunity to torment Cid and he had missed pushing the younger mans’ buttons. The white haired Engineer never failed to react to Gaius’ teasing, just like Midas had once done.

Dainty blinked, struggling to put context to the Echo vision. She knew the Roegadyn and the Lalafell in that vision as Biggs, and Wedge.

They were airship Engineers of no small note and they had volunteered their services to the Scions of the Seventh Dawn on more than one occasion.  
Lives had been saved because of the expertise and abilities of those two on more than one occasion.

Never had they ever mentioned, to her or anyone, having defected from Garlemald, or that the Grand Minister of Science and Innovation had sacrificed himself to allow their escape.

Dainty reached up without words, grabbed Cid’s face with both hands and pulled him into an impromptu kiss, shocking him half speechless with the depth of emotion behind the kiss. She arched her body into his, hands cupping his bearded face and Cid put an arm around her waist on instinct alone.

Gaius, having learned that Eorzean weddings were sealed with a kiss between the bride and groom during his time in Ishgard, laughed and declared them married, assuming that Dainty had taken pity on Cid for the teasing. His word was law, and therefore, that was that.

 

Dinner passed as a blur for Cid. He remembered nothing of the food, or the show, only aware of the slender, white clad Au'Ra beside him and Gaius' constant, over-bearing presence.

It had been a while since anyone had kissed him quite the way she had earlier and somewhere, in the small part of his mind that wasn’t entirely weirded out by the events of the day, he wondered what he had possibly done to earn it, and what he would need to do for her to kiss him like that again.

The nature of the entertainment made it almost impossible to speak to Dainty above polite small talk, however. She appeared to be enjoying the evening, whenever he glanced in her direction her eyes were focused on the stage, or her wine. He couldn’t recall if she was drinking white or red, especially when her eyes would occasionally meet his and she would smile sweetly, those fascinating limbal ringed eyes lingering on his face in a way that Cid could not explain.

“Will you excuse me if I retire to have a bath?” Dainty requested politely as the applause for the show was beginning to wind down. The few guests would starting to leave shortly, Gaius' staff and the Imperial Theatre Troupe would be wanting to begin packing and cleaning up before the hour grew to late.

Cid wasn't sure if she was asking him, or Gaius but it was the Emperor who answered.

“Of course. You will be tired.”

Cid automatically rose to show her how to get from the ballroom to the bedroom politely but Gaius gave a gesture.

“Sit.”

Cid sat, well aware it was the Emperor, and not his friend, currently doing the talking, leaving Gaius to give Dainty directions how to get to her desired destination.

Dainty reached for the flask on her thigh as best she could her in tailored gown and set it on the table in front of Cid. The metal vessel made a light "plunk" sound as she put it down.  
She had a feeling he was going to need that if, as she suspected, Gaius was planning to break the news of her true identity.

It was not every day one learns they've just been married, against their will, to someone capable of laying entire cities to waste.

This was followed by a curtsey to the Emperor before she departed.

Leaving Cid and Gaius alone.

The Emperor gave a gesture, dismissing his loyal Tribuni and then rose. “Come with me, Cid.”

Cid did as he was told, ignoring the smirks he was getting from Nero. It was normally Nero who got spoken to thus by Gaius. There was a very good reason Nero was frequently, sneeringly referred to as the Emperor's lapdog.

It amused the blond to see his rival getting a taste of the hand Nero was usually dealt.

Cid followed Gaius dutifully out into one of the over grown gardens. It had once been a citrus orchard but had long since become overgrown as its owner neglected it in favor of Magitek.

From their position they had a clear view of the front gate and Gaius waited until he saw each of his Tribuni leave the property, their departure noted by of Primus pilus who stood at attendance by the gate.

Only senior and secondary centurions, those who had earned the Rem title, were allowed to guard the Garlond Estates. Only those had earned Gaius trust enough.

“Now that we are fully alone you may know the truth, Cid. Dainty is the Eikon Slayer of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn.”

Cid blinked, frowned, then blinked again.

“....what?”

Gaius explained how she came to be in Ishgard, masquerading as a teenager.

“...I only needed to find an excuse to lure her to Garlemald. Fortunately, her fugitive status with the city-states after the Ul'Dah Uprising provided it for me.”

“Gaius.....” Cid didn't know what say, or think. 

Surely there must be a mistake. That tiny slip of a thing? An Eikon slayer? 

If it were true Cid felt bad for his earlier suspicion that Gaius had brought him a teenaged whore, when in fact he had brought something far more valuable. A peerless, battle hardened warrior who could count fully thirty summers to her name.

“I made Midas a promise to protect you, Cid, that I have never forgotten. I can now sleep at night certain that even if I should fall to Varis’ scheming you will be safe. With an Eorzean bride, and an alliance with Count Fortemps, you will be free to disappear into Ishgard should the need ever arise and with Dainty’s abilities as a warrior, you will survive long enough to do so.”

“Thank you, Gaius.” Cid replied sincerely, feeling a little easier with this arranged marriage now that he understood the true reasons for it. Still, he felt it was rather poor form on Gaius part not to tell him who she really was on the airship landing, rather than letting Cid make such an erroneous assumption. “Why the bleeding Hells didn't you warn me sooner?”

Sometimes it was hard to tell who would answer him. “Gaius” or “Emperor”.

Gaius smirked;

“I wanted to test your loyalty, to see if you would defy me. You passed with flying colours, of course.”

“You have subjected me to some ridiculous bloody things, Gaius, but this about tops it.” Cid snarked at him, seeing he was now talking to his friend and not his Emperor.

“Ridiculous isn't what I would call an Eikon Slayer, Cid, but to each their own.”

“Fair... but, are you certain, Gaius? I believe you, I just find it difficult to comprehend that Eorzea's Protector would be willing to walk away from it to be bound to Garlemald. To someone as inconsequential as me! Fugitive status or no.”

“I would believe it not myself, I fully admit I bought her deception in its entirely until I witnessed her best Zenos in single combat for attempting to rape her friend.”

“It was not you?” Cid started violently.

“No, and you alone may know that it were Dainty's blade that departed Zenos from his head. Let all else make the same mistake you did, that she is nothing more than a society wife of gentle birth. I brought her here for your protection, we both know the Optimates will be eager to retaliate for Zenos death, but the coin I paid for that protection was her own. No matter what alliances I may make with Eorzea I intend to maintain the lie that Dainty cen Garlond is nothing more than convenient bargaining chip in the alliance with her Father.”

“It certainly would not be unhelpful if anyone making attempts upon my life under-estimated what was waiting for them at my side.” Cid mused softly. Her powers and position would entitle her to the Dus title, which was reserved for the bodyguards of public officials but to address her so would give away her true purpose instantly, leaving Gaius to give her title of a respected artisan. Which put her above most common citizens, but not enough to draw attention. Most, upon hearing her addressed as cen would assume that Gaius was, once again, showing favoritism to Cid via his new bride, and little else.

“Indeed, and now, judging from the looks you were throwing her all night, I am sure you are looking forwards to being alone with your new bride.” This was stated with a an over exaggerated leer, and suggestive eyebrow wiggle. “Let me how it goes. I’m desperately curious to know what it’s like to fuck an Eikon Slayer.”

“Get arsed, Gaius.” Cid snorted shooing the man from the Garlond properties.

 

It was with some small amount of trepidation that Cid approached his own bedroom.

An awkward sense of “now what?” settled in his gut that only intensified to see the slender woman sitting in his bed, hugging her knees.

The question of sex and intimacy in an arranged marriage was not something he had ever felt need to contemplate but ultimately it made very little difference. Married or not, Eikon Slayer or shy teenager, that was a boundary that was entirely up to Dainty to cross, in Cid’s opinion.

Although he wasn’t sure he was up for that if she wanted to cross it right now.  
It had been a singularly exhausting day.

“So….” He began when she turned her face up to his expectantly.

Dainty had thought to address her identity, if the smirking, taunting Gaius had not done so, but Cid looked stressed, tired and pushed entirely too far.

She had been given a choice, and given time come to terms with her impending marriage. Cid had not been given such luxuries and she gave him a sweet, sympathetic smile.

“You have been fully commanded and dictated to all day. Now that we are alone, what do **you** want to do?”

“I want to just... stop.”

The words came tumbling out of his mouth born on pure instinct. He just wanted everything to stop for a few moments so he could catch his breath and equilibrium and try to process the weird, weird turn his life had abruptly taken.

Dainty nodded, turned onto her hip and snuggled down beneath the blankets with her back to the side of the bed that he would sleep upon. She was small, and took up very little space. As Cid undressed and put out the lights for sleep he found it very easy to imagine himself alone in the room, with no strange, Eorzean additions to it.

 

“Are you alright?” Cid asked when his new bride shifted yet again in the bed beside him, turning her back to him and rousing him from the light sleep he had just been drifting off into.  
She had been tossing and turning for the better part of 2 hours.

“I woke you, I apologize.” the woman replied, not moving.

“Is there anything I can do? To make you more comfortable?” Cid offered, realizing how pathetic that sounded.

They had met only 8 hours ago and now they were married. Clearly “comfortable” was going to be a far off, distant dream for a very long time.

He figured he could at least get her another blanket if it would help. He had not changed the mattress in years and there was a dip in the middle from his body weight that was no doubt uncomfortable for her to repeatedly fall into.

Now that Cid thought of it he realized he probably should have changed the bedding out for one of the far less used selections in the lower guestrooms that he used for storage. That was probably what Gaius had meant about preparing his Estates for his new wife.

Still there was little he could do about it now, save offer to sleep on the sofa in the front room so that she could have the bed to herself.

“It is fine. You've had an rough day.” Dainty told him firmly.

“Are you sure? You’ve travelled a long distance.”

“I am perfectly well. You should sleep.”

Cid gave a low chuckle, beginning to sit up;

“We're both trying to be so considerate to the other that we're going in circles.”

Dainty gave a small breath of laughter, rising up on one hip herself before gently rolling over to face him. A small smile tugged at her mouth in the dark, taking in the muscular chest, and handsome face of her new husband. In looks, at least, she certainly couldn't complain at Gaius and Edmont's choice of husband for her.

In everything she had learned about Cid no one had mentioned that the man was so attractive. It was a not unwelcome surprise.

“Did Gaius tell you who I am?”

“Yes.”

“Then you will understand why it is a concern that someone of my strength is prone to being a violent sleeper.” Dainty explained softly.

“Ah. Yes.” Cid replied, voice grave. Having a hole punched through him by a fully asleep Eikon Slayer sounded unpleasant.

“Do not be concerned, I become incredibly calm and pliant if I fall asleep when someone is touching me.” Dainty said reassuringly, a simple hand on her back, or hers on his was enough remind her she was not alone in the bed and keep her still. “I thought to try and make it through at least one night, since it seemed you needed your space but you desire me to be comfortable therefore I need physical contact when I sleep so that I do not thrash.”

Cid considered this a few moments, snuggles sounded much more pleasant than being punched and such violent sleep could hardly be restful for her. It would clearly be best for them both if they could establish her sleeping near to him from the outset.

He thought he was probably a heavy sleeper by the fact it was unusual for him to wake during the night, and a girlfriend from many years in the past had once commented to being unnerved that he slept on his back like he was dead.

Cid gave a loose shrug, returning to laying on his back and stretching one arm out along the pillow line so that she could insinuating herself beneath it.

Dainty moved closer to him tentatively, pleased and surprised at how close he was allowing her to get.  
She wondered briefly if that was to be an ongoing theme; Cid pleasantly surprising her.

She snuggled in, making sure to angle her head so that her cranial projections dug into the pillow and not his shoulder as Cid pulled her close.

 _Gods but he's the prefect size to hold me_ – Dainty realized with a little sigh, relaxing against him fully, one hand lightly splayed on his chest, one leg bent up over his thigh. His arm curled around her body tentatively, then rested there when she made no protest, his fingertips brushing against her ribs.

“My scales aren't poking you, are they?”

“Not at all.”

“Good. I will be sleep soundly if this is comfortable for you?”

“I…” A deep sigh that felt like it came from the bottom of his soul escaped Cid before he admitted. “….I could get used to this.”

She was fantastically warm and her skin was surprisingly soft for such a battle hardened warrior. The small hand at his chest and her face pressed ever so gently into his neck was calming, and comforting.

Cid couldn't remember the last time he had just held someone and she seemed to fit in his arms more perfectly than anyone else he had ever slept with. No doubt the late hour, and stressful day were playing tricks on his mind.

His eyes drifted closed of their own accord.

He raised his free hand, curling it over her own at his chest as sleep rushed up to claim them.


	5. Where Did You Sleep Last Night? In the Past, In the Past.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cid and Dainty get to know each other. A whole lot.

The awkward “now what?” feeling returned in the morning for Cid although waking up alone somewhat helped. For a few moments he forgot the previous days events, his avid mind instantly turning to an experimental levitation engine he had been building.

If he could make it work it the way he planned it would reduce how long it took to move large amounts of materials from one place to another, not just horizontally but vertically as well. Each load could be taken directly from storage to application site with the same machine, eliminating several steps.

With all the new people coming into and out of the city a construction boom was imminent.  
The sight of one of the boxes Dainty had brought with her from Ishgard reminded him viscerally that he now had an Au’Ra wife. This sent a bolt of panic through Cid before he firmly reminded himself what was done and done and that he should probably figure out where she was.

He wished she had woken him before she departed but at the time was glad for the sleep, and time alone to calm his thoughts.

An investigation of the kitchen proved that she liked coffee in the morning and had made enough for both of them.

 _Likes coffee, drinks…… wine_ – He still couldn’t remember if she had been drinking red or white last night as he made a mental list of the few things he now knew about Dainty. – _She likes to be held when she sleeps._

Cid had decided quickly he kind of liked that too. It was an adjustment, certainly, going from sleeping alone to suddenly having another body in his personal space, especially a body with a spiked tail that poked him in the shins.

He had woken up a couple times in the night and been intensely confused about why whatever body part Dainty was laying on had gone numb. Fortunately the Au’Ra turned into a lump of pudding that could prodded and moved in her sleep, so getting her to roll into a position that allowed him to go back to sleep was very easy.

He helped himself to a cup of coffee and continued on, finally locating her in one of the weed over run, and untended garden beds at the very back of the estate where the high walls that had been built, turning it into a secure compound, cast shadows over what was once a sunshine loving rose garden.

The door to dirty, run down Greenhouse was open too, although Dainty had found nothing but rows and rows of dirty pots full of dry, useless dirt.

It appeared that the Estate was once almost entirely self-sufficient but it had been clearly been years since anything had grown there.

Dainty was poked at the soil with a stick, seeing how far down she would have to dig past the hard, dried top layer to find viable soil for growing plants before she became aware of a presence behind her and turned to smile at her new husband.  
“Hi.” Cid greeted her, for wont of anything more intelligent to say.

“Good morning.” Dainty offered brightly, rising to her feet.

“You should have woken me, I would have given you a tour…or something, not that there is much to show.”

“I noticed that majority of your estate is in much the same state as this garden bed, and the room with the chandelier but I cannot fathom why. Gaius said the Garlond Family has always been wealthy, should you not have an extensive staff?” Dainty frowned.

The house in which she now lived as practically palatial in size. She had not had a chance to explore it but estimated at least 10 bedrooms, multiple kitchens and bathrooms and staff quarters along with the grand Ballroom they had dined in last night.

An Estate that size should have a small army of staff seeing to its maintenance and in Garlemald, where having slaves and staff was considered normal, the fact that Cid did not was glaringly out of place.

Only 5 of the rooms were being used, what she assumed to bed the Master Bedroom with its large, attached ensuite bathroom, the closest kitchen, a large sitting room and 2 smaller bedrooms as storage for various Magitek sundries.

“What else did Gaius tell you?” Cid asked, suspicious and a little uncomfortable.

“Not a lot but I am starting to suspect he purposefully omitted this.” Dainty made a gesture to the run down estates.

“I’m sure he did.” Cid squirmed, prevaricating. She had a right to know, he just wasn’t sure he wanted to get onto the subject at half after sun-up and before the coffee had even fully kicked in. “I’m an Engineer, I just don’t care about all that stuff, I guess. Give me a workshop and somewhere to sleep and I am happy.”

Dainty knew he was lying.

She could understand his living alone, and under guard now, for his own safety but Gaius had been on the Throne only 3 years while the Estate looked like it had been neglected for at least 20.

Still she didn’t press it, falling into step beside him to return to the house, figuring they had plenty of time him to tell her of it at his own pace.

“So, what do you do for food in this big empty house of yours when Gaius doesn’t scold you to have the cupboards stocked?” Dainty asked with a smirk as they walked into the kitchen

She highly doubted Cid had ever been inclined to drag himself away from Magitek long enough to learn to cook. The expansive estates, as empty as they were, spoke of a privileged upbringing. Likely he had had nanny's and servants for most of his life.

“I can cook… somewhat.” Cid protested Dainty’s slightly judgmental expression before admitting. “Mostly I just have the guards at the gate fetch me what I need fresh every morning. Easier to avoid being poisoned if no one knows what I’m planning to eat.”

“Someone tried to poison you?!” Dainty almost dropped her coffee in surprise.

“A couple times now.” Cid admitted. “All the food that currently stocks the kitchen came from Gaius private home, what they call the Summer Villa, where it had already been safely inspected. Don’t under estimate Garlean Politics, they are utterly ruthless.”

“Trust me, I won’t. I made that mistake in Ul’Dah and they did poison Nanamo ul’Namo.” Dainty replied, anger for the Monetarists playing in her voice as she walked into the kitchen and went about finding something that might be good for breakfast. She gave him a tight smile, forcing her tone to be light, and airy. “Fortunately for you, I cook a lot better than just somewhat.”

She had made a couple apprentices at the Bismark in Limsa Lominsa quit, stating they would never be able to match her skills so there was no point in trying, when she had learned the culinary arts.

Eggs, and garlean garlic, salt and cheese for making an omelet or two were quickly procured and Cid, unsure what to say in response to her comment about Ul’Dah instead went to put on a shirt to match the cotton pants he had slept in. Gaius had told him about the incident but only briefly and only in the context of why it made her a fugitive in Eorzea. The anger in her voice made it clear it had been a deeply traumatic incident for her, and understandably so.

 _Oh! I should have offered her a hug or something! Bugger._ – Cid realizing, slipping a t-shirt over his head. She had clearly been upset by the anger in her voice and had stated last night touch made her comfortable. Learning to think and the needs and wants of another person after so long along was going to take some time.

A delicious garlic and butter and spices smell that made his mouth water greeted him as he returned to the kitchen.

Dainty had made more coffee too, and Cid noticed she did it the old fashioned way, with boiling water and a filter rather than using the assortment of Magitek devices in the kitchen.

The old fashioned method produced a better quality cup of coffee anyway, even if it took a little longer to make, so he hardly minded.

Cid helped himself to another cup, teasing lightly;

“So you cook, you slay Eikons, you garden… Is there anything you can't do?”

“I can’t explain the state of your properties.” Dainty retorted with a sly smile, expertly flipping an omelet onto a plate and offering it to him. She had not forgotten her curiosity and had no intentions of being placated with his lie of omission.

Cid cleared his throat, seeing that she wasn’t going to let that go easily. He bought himself some time by taking his plate to the kitchen table, and waiting for her to join him with her own breakfast before a couple careful bites.

It was good and gave him a few moments to compose his thoughts, trying to find the best way to skim over the subject for the time being.

“I dismissed the Staff after Gaius took the throne. It just wasn’t safe to have so many people around me, and I really didn’t care. I’m an Engineer.” He shrugged.

Dainty’s eyes flicked up from her plate, meeting his, one eyebrow quirked and a look of being severely displeased settled on her pretty, pointed features.

“Cid Garlond, you and I both know those gardens have been left to rot for at least 20 summers. No staff would have ever allowed that to happen.”

Cid cleared his throat, embarrassed to be caught in the lie. Dainty started nonchalantly eating her breakfast again.

“Sorry.” He muttered, looking away.

“If you do not wish to speak of something, simply tell me so. I admit to being stubborn but I do respect it when I am told no.” She met his eyes again, this time giving him a kind smile. “When you feel you can tell me what happened here I think you will find me a sympathetic listener. There is not a lot you can say, or have done that will shock someone who puts Primals to the blade.”

Cid gave a short snort of amusement at her quip. 

She was right, however. He had been projecting his own discomfort with his past onto her, assuming she would react with the same condemnation he gave himself.

“I fired everyone when my Father died. There was an incident…” he swallowed thickly, then pushed his plate away, appetite lost and unable to speak of it.

“… and not much point having Staff when you and your shop hands intended to defect from Garlemald anyway.” Dainty suggested.

“Gaius told you that!?”

“No, my Echo did.”

“Oh.” Cid gave a rough sounding laugh. “There really is no point lying to you, is there?”

“The visions come as they choose, and I often have no context for them. On this instance I was fortunate enough to recognize the white haired young man who turned back, so that his friends would be safe.” Dainty told him softly, there was something that sounded suspiciously like admiration in her voice, Cid thought. Or perhaps it was just wishful thinking.

“I knew Gaius would blame Biggs and Wedge if all 3 of us were caught. He would say they had manipulated me into it in my grief but that’s far from the truth. I planned to leave alone, they refused to let me, knowing I wouldn’t have the faintest clue how to take care of myself in Eorzea. I couldn’t let them be punished for trying to protect me.” Cid admitted.

Dainty made a soft noise of concern but otherwise didn't interrupt him. “Gaius and I got into an argument, a bad one. I said some awful things, made half-cocked accusations about his relationship with my Father and how my Mother really died.” Cid looked embarrassed.

“A couple punches were thrown. You can imagine how well that went, an Engineer against a battle hardened General, but by the end of it Gaius vowed that he would see the Meteor Project halted and the White Raven’s mad plans ended, one way or another.

I mostly fell into the routine you see now, I even dated a little but with what Nael was planning there seemed to be no time for anything but trying to counteract what he planned. No one else in the Empire seemed to understand that the man was insane, that he had been tempered! Gaius tried to make them understand but all anyone cared about was that van Darnus had Solus’ approval. The then Emperor was already in ill health and refused to retract the decree giving Nael permission to do whatever he felt necessary to conquer Eorzea.”

“I am well familiar with what had burst forth from Dalamud, and Garlemald's hand in it.... and in trying to stop it.” Dainty offered softly, again he thought her tone held a touch of admiration.

“None of us actually expected to survive challenging an Elder God, to be honest.” Cid admitted slightly disjointed as memories rushed through his mind.

Had it been Gaius, his Tribuni and the XIVth alone standing against Garlemald and the Primal Bahamut, no doubt they all would have perished as believed but they had not been the only players on the field.

“And then Gaius took the throne?” Dainty prompted as Cid seemed to be getting lost in his memories. His eyes focused back on her face and there was a look of something in her purple and orange eyes he couldn’t quite explain.

“He started gathering support, yes. After the first attempt was made on my life, presumably to punish Gaius for his ambitions, it seemed wisest to keep only those I could absolutely trust around me."

“..which was no one?”

Cid gave a lose shrug as Dainty gaped at him; “So you've been mostly alone here, since your Father died and absolutely alone since just before Gaius took the throne!?”

“Yes.”

“Twelve above! That is no way to live!”

Her heart hurt that someone could live that way, devoid of affection and physical intimacy. Gaius had not mentioned that and Dainty considered it rather remiss of the him not to tell her he had fully put Cid under house arrest for his own safety.

She was neither the kindest nor the most empathetic soul on the planet but she felt a great rush of need to give him the attention and caring that had been absent from his life for so long.

She quick rounded the table, cupping his bearded face with both hands and kissing him the same way she had when Gaius had married them, only this time she didn’t let go. One kiss turned into another, into another.

Cid was almost instantly over whelmed by her kisses as she insinuated herself onto his lap.

Her hands stroked through his hair.

Suffering from emotional whiplash at the abrupt subject change, for several moments he couldn't speak, letting her press kisses to his face, smoothing her thumbs across his eyebrows and run her fingers through is beard before kissing him again. He shuddered, leaning forwards a little so that she could wrap her arms around his torso and hugging him tightly, resting her chin on his shoulder.

Cid struggled to recall the last time he was hugged.

As a child, he thought, maybe a nursemaid had done it at some point.

Dainty's body, curled around his own was sending a kaleidoscope of long repressed emotions whirling through him. If he ever stopped distracting himself with magitek long enough to consider that he was lonely he was always able to push the thought away with the mindset that he could not miss what he had never had.

Or cover it up with a bad joke, such as quipping to Gaius that the Emperor ought simply assign him a wife.

She kissed him again, a long, deep lingering kiss before she pressed her face into his neck, kissing the soft skin gently.

"I like your beard." She murmured sweetly, scuffing her fingers through it again. Her tongue darted out, stroking up his throat and making him hiss in a breath.

Guilt hit him in the gut, realizing she was initiating sex.

"Dainty... don't." Cid managed faintly, struggling not to lose his head and just be overcome by the way she lavished long denied attention on him.

He felt like a starving man who had suddenly been offered a 12 course meal but he couldn't reconcile accepting intimacy from her when she didn't know to whom she made love.

Dainty drew back but there was clear reluctance when she did, and she did not remove herself from his lap. Instead cupping Cid's face with her hands again, running a thumb across his bottom lip.

“Why not?” she purred, her eyes, fascinating with their bright orange limbal rings, held his tenderly.

He couldn't fathom she would look at him so if she truly understood and looked away, unable to hold her eyes.

“I don’t deserve it.”

“I disagree.”

“You know not what I was. I was loyal once, Dainty. The Garlond family had always been Weaponsmiths and Engineers, and I was considered a prodigy from an early age. Weapons I designed and built would have been used against your homeland.” It pained him to admit it but he needed to her to know. Cid’s voice was dark when he added. “They had probably even killed people you knew and loved.”

“I am aware." Dainty told him both firmly and sincerely. “I have stood against the Empire, remember. Soldiers likely wielding those weapons and cut them down where the stood. I have probably even killed people you knew.”

“That is different.”

“How so?”

“Things done in warfare are not the same as…” he swallowed heavily “… taking innocent lives.”

In a great, heavy rush of words that came spilling out of him Cid told her about the annihilation of the Bozja Citadel. “I knew my Fathers’ mind was starting to slip, Gaius wouldn’t listen to me but I knew my Father was pushing too hard, and too fast. The city should have been evacuated long before any kind of test was ever performed. They’re all dead because I was too much of a coward to stop my Father. Women at lunch, children playing in the streets, babes in arms. All gone in the blink of an eye. I tried throwing fists at Gaius but the only person I should have ever punched was my Father. Maybe it would have knocked some sense into him, even just for a moment! Long enough to prevent what happened. I was the only one who knew how far gone Midas was. It was my responsibility to do something, and I faltered. It’s all my fault.”

He had not meant to broach so heavy a subject on the second day of knowing her but he hadn't expected her to cross the boundary of sex in an arranged marriage so quickly either.

Cid needed her to understand, it wasn't that he did not like her attention. He liked it a little too much as evidenced by the fact his pants were uncomfortably tight.

He just knew didn't deserve her kisses or her touches or to touch her in return.

Dainty listened to Cid’s confession in silence, straddling his thighs.

His hands were resting limply on her knees.

She leaned forwards, taking his hands by the wrists but, rather than throwing them down and flouncing off his lap in abject disgust, which is what Cid had instantly anticipated, she drew his hands up her bare legs, and wrapped his arms around herself.

Her arms came around him neck, pressing his face into her breasts and holding him.

“I knew about Bozja through the Scions of the Seventh Dawn.”

She felt him start to shake faintly in her arms and her heart hurt all over again for how long he had been carrying that guilt with no one to offer him absolution. No one in their right mind would consider Cid responsible for Bozja but grief had a way of twisting things. She didn't believe he needed forgiveness but could do her best to offer it anyway.

Cid attempted to break away from her but she physically would not let him.

"I don’t care about Bozja. What I cared about is Gaius’ assertion that it was you who was directly responsible for his decision to oppose the White Raven. That to hear a child he raised almost as his own son accuse him of losing his honor was the catalyst for turning his attention away from the subjugation and rule of Eorzea. That interrupting your attempt to defect was what made him realize that Garlemald had become something that ought to be fled from.”

His attempt at freedom ceased and she slackened her grip, letting her lips graze his temple gently. “Fully did I want to know this Cid nan Garlond who could inspire such greatness."

“Pretty sure I don’t deserve that.” He muttered, embarrassed to find himself blushing.

Cid's arms tightened around her, clinging to her and struggling to fathom that she could possibly mean it. Surely she, of all people, should be the most critical of the lives lost at his hand and yet she had agreed to be bound to him despite knowing the laundry list of his sins.

He raised his head to look at her, and finding her eyes still held a gentle, tender expression. "Never forget that I came here willingly."

He still felt like he didn't deserve such kindness, although he had at least stopped shaking.

“The lives you saved by turning Gaius' attention away from Eorzea is what I care about, Cid.” Dainty told him.

She was going to completely undo him if she kept saying flattering things like that, he couldn’t hold her eyes and turned his face away.

"We must always be honest with one another if we have any hope of this arranged marriage working, don't you agree?" Dainty asked.

"Yes." Cid didn't think he could agree more.

Dainty leaned in to apply her mouth to the pulse at his neck, since he had so conveniently angled his head to the side, earning her a soft groan from the man whose lap she straddled. “Then let me be honest.... we ought adjust to the bedroom so that I can continue where I left off.”

Her subject change, without warning or segue was enough to leave him reeling but the need to be loved was a powerful one.

Cid was reassured that she knew the truth now, that he had done the right thing and made absolutely certain that she knew who and what he was. If she yet still wanted to be with him then he would take her attention and affections gladly.

When she slipped off his lap, tucking a hand into his and pulled him to his feet he went with her unhesitatingly.

Dainty had not been exaggerating about continuing where she left off either, Cid discovered.

Kissing him, touching him, undressing him, drawing him onto the bed and straddling him again the moment that she was able. 

He had never been spoiled and showered with attention in such a manner and it was addicting.

It didn't even occur to him that it was far to soon to be naked and vulnerable with her. Her mouth moved to his neck, her hands swept down, fingertips stroking his collarbones as her tongue dipped into the hollow at the base of his throat before continuing down his chest.

“Gods but I'll never have any complaints about the way you look." Dainty purred, raising her head to shoot him a rakish smile scratching her fingernails across his pectoral muscles, playfully glancing the flat male nipples.

Cid sucked in a breath heartbeat quickening as blood rushed elsewhere, swelling his cock but managed to reply;

“I am glad the view does not disappoint.”

Cid had seen male Au'Ra and Elezen both and was palpable aware he looked absolutely nothing like either of those species. When Gaius had spoken of her having had an Elezen husband Cid had worried that, if she had preference towards her own kind, or Elezen, she would be disappointed in him.

“Not in the slightest.” Dainty teased, leaning in for a soft kiss that he didn't get a chance to fully return. “I like your mouth...”

She ducked her head.

Dainty's soft hair whispered tantalizing against his pectoral muscles as her lips followed the line her hands had earlier traced. She inhaled deeply, tongue flicking across the top of his abdominal muscles.

“...and I like the way you smell.....” she purred, pressing soft, fleeting kiss across his abdomen. Her lips lingered so that when she spoke her breath tickled the sensitive skin. “… and how your skin tastes.”

Cid was mesmerized, intensely aroused as her hands stroked his ribs. The combination of her flattering words and her playful touches was powerfully erotic. 

“You are overwhelming me.” Cid mumbled. He felt half drunk and needed a couple minutes to catch his breath.

She kissed him until breathing became something of a dire necessity, resting her forehead on his and giggling;

“I'm trying to.”

The sensation of her scales against his Garlean third eye was unusual, and threw Cid for a moment before his avid, curious mind instantly sought to investigate the scales that marked her body more completely.

His fingers moved to those on her jawline, and throat.

Dainty smiled, peeling off the white camisole she slept in and letting him play. Letting him explore her as she had been exploring him.

It did not surprise her that her scales warranted such attention. They always seemed to be of vast interest to her lovers.

Their texture was fascinating to Cid, not at all rough, or sharp like he might have expected but nothing like skin either. 

He brushed a fingertip along the filigree of scales at her side and prompted a burst of ticklish laughter from Dainty.

Her eyes narrowing prettily and her breasts jiggling as she did.

A couple more touches and Cid quickly discovered that Dainty was ticklish in a number of unusual places, mostly coinciding with where the scales met her soft skin. She squirmed as his fingertips brushed across her lower back, just above her tail.

Heat rose in her cheeks, and painted her breasts and shoulders with blushes. Cid had thought her pretty when he first met her on the airship landing, noting she was attractive although it had been tempered by relief to see that she was not a child as he had first assumed and it occurred to him now that she was absolutely stunning.

Her pale, mint green hair caught his attention now.

“Is this natural?” Cid asked, curious and raised a hand to her curls, twisting one lock around a finger and tugging to watch it spring back into place. He had never met anyone with naturally curly hair. It wasn’t a genetic trait that Garlean’s were prone to.

“Frustratingly, yes.” Dainty sighed. She spent a small fortune every year on conditioners, and potions to keep it manageable. It would turn into a frizzy mess if she did not take extra care of it.

“The colour too?”

“No.” Dainty gave a sly smile, wondering if he could guess the true colour of her tresses.

Cid made an interested noise and looked very closely at the growth of her hair very close to her scalp, running his hands through her curly locks several times;

“Blonde?”

Platinum blonde hair was a Garlean trait, although it made sense her hair would be pale given the shade of her skin and scales.

“Yes.” Dainty grinned. “You would not believe how much work it was keeping it raven black in Ishgard! Pastel shades are much easier.”

Cid laughed and Dainty gasped, eyes lighting up delightedly; “Your laugh! It’s so nice!”

“Dainty, you are going to give me the worst ego if you keep saying flattering things like that.” Cid mumbled embarrassed again. So far she had said she liked every single thing about him and he certainly wasn’t used to being complimented so readily.

“Good, isn’t that what a wife is supposed to do?” Dainty replied with a purr, then reached one hand between their bodies to his cock that swelled almost instantly at her touch leaving him breathing hard. She bit her lip with a cheeky smirk, honestly a little surprised by the size and width of him. “Oh!... I rather like that too.”

Garlean’s tended to be thickly built both above and below the belt line, it seemed.

Cid tried to dislodge her from straddling him, thinking to return the touches but she determinedly planted her hands against his chest, a bright, wild glint to her eyes, demanding; “Let me spoil you.”

No sane man would do anything other than hold on for the ride and he slid his hands to her hips, up her body to her breasts, cupping the sensitive flesh gently.

They filled him palms perfectly, her already hard nipples betraying her arousal and peaking harder still as her ran teasing touches across them.

She leaned in to kiss him deeply, losing herself in it. His cock twitched against her ass, hot and heavy.

The same thought that had occurred to Cid on the airship landing filled his mind now, even as she sipped at his lips. She was such a dainty, diminutive little thing that, Eikon Slayer or not he was honestly concerned for hurting her.

That thought seemed to bother her not in the least and Cid had to consider the size difference between male and female Au’Ra, and the continued propagation of that species. 

Dainty must know something he didn’t. She had been married to an Elezen, after all.

She raised herself, dropping a hand between their bodies to position him at her entrance. The heat of her cunt enveloped him as she bore down on his length, letting inch after inch slip between her folds.

“Oh...!” her voice caught in her throat.

He was stretching her open in a way she wasn’t quite used to. 

At fully 30 summers of age, and having once been happily married she could hardly call herself inexperienced but Cid was thicker than she had had before. Her inner muscles clenched and released on him, adjusting to his girth.

Cid held very still, holding even his breath. She felt incredible already, her muscles working on him.

“Kiss me.” Dainty requested faintly and he did so at once pushing away from the pillows and cupping her cheek with one large hand. His mouth claimed hers tongue stroking against hers, her arms wrapped around his neck. 

He kissed her until she gave a little shiver and relaxed, the last couple inches of his length spearing deeply inside her, burying him to the hilt.

“Gods….” Dainty moaned every nerve ending in her cunt over stimulated but it felt so good she couldn’t resist moving almost at once, desperate to prolong that sensation. She braced her hands on his abdominal muscles, leaning in for another kiss as she worked herself up and down his thick length.

Her momentarily lapse in equilibrium passing quickly so that she could return to her original focus of pleasing him.

Cid more or less collapsed back the bed as pure pleasure flooded through him and Dainty leaned forwards to bite his neck playfully before dragging her mouth down his chest to tease his nipples. His cock twitched inside her as she rode him, easily able to take all of him now.

His hand bracketed her hips loosely, doing nothing to disturb her pleasurable rhythm as she moved sinuously on him. He moved his hips in rhythm with hers, thrusting up every time she bounced down.

In the small part of his brain that was still capable of thought and hadn’t completely submitted to simply feeling Cid was reasonably certain that he must be dreaming.

He wasn’t married, and certainly not to a woman like Dainty. She wasn’t straddled across his lap, her body bucking and her head tipped forwards as she shifted herself up and down his hard length.

A gasp, followed by a curse escaped Dainty as she bounced. 

She threw her head back, grinding against him as her strokes slowed but grew longer, and more deliberate. Lifting herself almost all the way to his tip before baring back down. 

His hands tightening on her hips, encouraging her to repeat that particular motion.

“Dainty….” Cid groaned, he could feel his peak building deep in his gut. His back muscles tightening as he arched beneath her, driving himself up into her harder.

“oh….!” Dainty gasped, as his rhythm suddenly changed, pulling her onto him over and over as he thrust up. “…Cid!”

The way she shrieked his name spurred him on, arms closing around her lower back tightly to hold her in place and desperately clamping down on his own rising climax long enough to provoke one from her. Cid was damn proud of himself for not being done done the second she bit his neck.

“Unnhff!” Dainty made a noise of complete and utter mindless, pleasure born nonsense.

She shuddered violently then locked up into an arch, half mewling his name as she did. 

He slowed, but didn’t stop thrusting as her muscles clenched on him in her release, her cunt milking him as he continued to thrust inside her, sending ripples of almost painful aftershocks through her.

Half out of her mind at the pleasure and stimulation overload she kissed him desperately, pushing her hips back and giving a little roll of her body until Cid grunted against her mouth, coming a few minutes after she did.

Euphoria blacked his mind and sent all his limbs limp, loosely holding the trembling Au’Ra sprawled on top of him.

She was fully shaking, breathe choppy and panting when Cid managed to entirely gather his thoughts and looked down at her. Her hair was sticking her sweat slicked face and shoulders but Dainty didn’t care, looping her arms around Cid’s torso to hug him tightly, pressing her cheek to his heartbeat. The cranial projection on that side folding to allow the affectionate gesture.

For long time Cid said nothing, just savoring the feeling of her arms around him and her warm, sweat slicked body pressed against his until finally her shivering abated.

“You must be incredibly easy to please because I am not that good.” Cid observed with a half-laugh.

“Hmmm?” Dainty inhaled sharply, raising her head and blinking, proving she had fallen asleep.

“Go back to sleep.” Cid replied instantly, feeling bad for waking her. She made a clumsy attempt at brushing her hair out of her face, her whole body limp and pliant against his. Cid gently ran a hand through her hair, drawing it all the side for her.

“Give me a moment.” Dainty mumbled, eyes closed and snuggling in close, determined to hug him. “You caught me by surprise.”

Cid choked on his breath at that, coughing several times.

“I caught you by surprise?” he echoed, incredulous and couldn’t help but laugh. He had so many arguments against that statement he didn't know which one to start with.

“I am comforted best by physical closeness and give comfort the same way.” 

“I noticed.” Cid murmured with a chuckle that made Dainty bounce a little. She made a sleepy noise, not bothering to open her eyes and yawning.

Cid fell silent, letting her fall sleep on him. 

It seemed the least he could do in the situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So who has noticed all the titles are song lyrics yet?


	6. I'm Not In Love but I Can Tell This Is Going To Be Fun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cid and Dainty discover they had more in common than thought.

Cid looked around his bedroom, trying to take stock of the day so far.

It was calm, and quiet, as it always was.

A small pile of laundry he had been ignoring for a week hastily shoved in a corner, a pile of books falling off his nightstand. That one project he swore he was going to finish any day now sitting on the chair by the bathroom door, a coat thrown on top of it.

A naked Au’Ra asleep on him, her mint green hair cascading across her shoulders and her tail tickling his leg.

One of these things was not like the others.

It wasn’t the fact that he had just slept with a stranger that was twisting his mind into knots, he had had his fair share of one night stands as a teenager with only very abstract parental supervision, it was the fact that that stranger was, in fact, his wife.

A wife that had shown him more kindness in her words and actions than anyone he had ever known.

The “what now?” feeling returned a little but now there was an excited, rather than awkward, edge to it that made his heart skip half a beat.

“I knew about Bozja.... I didn’t care” - she had said, holding his face and kissing his mouth and that was stuck in his mind. He almost wanted to wake her up, just to hear her say it again.

 _What if she had reacted in disgust, like you thought she would?_ – Cid questioned, looking down at Dainty as she slept. Her slender weight and warmth was comforting.

Dainty's choices to be honest and unguarded with her emotions and her body had gotten them here, and he reminded himself firmly never to forget it. This whole arranged marriage thing could have gone so very wrong so very quickly.

He tended to be passive, if she had been reserved and withdrawn, keeping herself protected then he would have taken his ques from her and Cid cringed to think how awkward and uncomfortable everything would have been, likely for months if not years, if she had not pushed him to be honest with her.

Instead, within a moon of knowing each other, they were already comfortable speaking of topics Cid had not spoken of to anyone in years.

Cid was well aware it was not normal to sleep in the arms of a complete stranger yet she had chosen to trust him last night, and again right now.

That level of vulnerability may have otherwise taken years to develop.

Cid lifted one of her curls, curling it around a finger curiously, idly wondering what the difference in strand composition was that made hair curly as opposed to wavy like his own.

“Mmmmm.” she gave a happy little sighing noise, starting to stir, having apparently needed only a quick cat nap. Her eyelashes tickling his skin as she blinked a little before rising to look at him.

Dainty held a hand to her head, squinting momentarily as if it were taking her a few moments to process where she was.

“Hello.” Cid offered, then internally rolled his eyes at himself. - _smooth, Garlond._

“Mmmm.” Dainty murmured again, apparently still partially asleep. “Tea.”

“Tea?”

“Mmm hmm.” She gave a huge stretch.

“You are utterly adorable.” Cid couldn’t help but chuckle at her, the compliment falling from his mouth unthinkingly.

Dainty giggled. 

She normally get told she was steel-eye’d and terrifying so she would take adorable gladly. She climbed off him and the bed, going in search of some clothes. It seemed silly to put on 1 of her nice dresses when there was no plan to leave the Estate and instead simply put on his t-shirt and her panties.

Early spring in Garlemald appeared to be marked by warm day and she disliked the heat so she was perfectly comfortable clad in nothing else. She declined to wear pants if she didn’t have to as a rule. It was just more comfortable for someone with a tail like her.

“I am a little mad that you look better in that shirt than I do.” Cid commented, rising himself as she dug a small wooden box with a gold latch out of her still packed up belongings.

“Says you.” Dainty retorted, unabashedly watching him dress making it very clear she was enjoying the show of his nude body before it was covered with clothing.

Cid ducked his head a little, blushing but enjoying the attention. He put on his pants but declined to find another t-shirt. If she was going to wander around half dressed he figured he may as well too.

It was warming up for the day.

Dainty headed for the kitchen, tail bouncing as she went and in a spectacularly good mood now. 

_Note to self: Post orgasmic Dainty is a happy Dainty who wants tea._ – Cid mentally cataloged he followed with a smile. His mood was far from a bad one either.

A happy Dainty was also an affectionate Dainty, snuggling in for a hug while the water boiled and treating him to several kisses after he clean up the remains of their hastily abandoned breakfasts.

Dainty made only tea for herself, making fresh coffee instead for him before putting the box containing the neatly hand wrapped packages of tea deliberately in one of the cupboards

 _Contraceptive tea_ – Cid realized quickly why she had not made a cup for him. It was a damn good thing that she was on the ball with that sort of thing because the notion that some sort of preventative ought be used had completely and utterly escaped him until that moment. He gave himself a small pass on that, it was impossible to go from years and years spent alone to suddenly having Dainty on top of him, purposefully trying to overwhelm him with kisses, and still retain any useful brain function.

Despite having already crossed into physical intimacy territory Cid was absolutely certain it was too earlier to discuss if either of them wanted progeny, wracking his mind for a topic of conversation before the happy silence could grow awkward.

“Uhm…”

“How about that tour?” Dainty suggested, blowing on her tea to cool it. “I didn’t get to look at the inside much before you woke up, only the grounds.”

“Sure!” Cid perked up, more than happy to provide whatever was asked of him. “Let’s start at the top and work down. Mind the dust.”

Dainty understood his warning after they got to the top floor and she saw the thick layer of dust that covered the banisters, floor and door handles. At the top of the stairs was an area that looked like it was once a pleasant sitting room, although white sheets had been laid down across almost everything, all the rugs, any furniture and even the blades of the inert fans, making it hard to judge.

It was lined on 2 sides by empty book cases and 2 doors, on the 3rdside the top of the stairs and opposite that a set of ornate double doors.

Dainty could imagine in winter that it was the warmest room in the house.

“All this was shut off by my Father, shortly after I was born.” Cid explaining, leading her through the abandoned, ghost like sitting room to the ornate doors. He opened them to display a huge master bedroom.

“Wow.” Dainty’s eyebrows were raised in surprise. She had assumed Cid’s large and well-appointed bedroom to be the master but she had assumed wrong.

Even covered in dust and white sheets as the sitting room was it was hard to mistake the finery of the room. It featured its own private balcony with floor to ceiling glass doors. There was an ornate 4 poster bed, still covered with furs, expensive fabric privacy drapes and many plush pillows. It was set into its own nook, and flanked on each side by his and hers bathrooms, each with their own fire places and attached dressing rooms.

The “his” side was empty but the “hers” side still contained dusty cosmetics and out of style clothing.

Matched his and hers writing desks over looked the balcony. “His” was empty like the closets but “hers” was still littered haphazardly with an assortment of trinkets, books and knick knacks. A plush day lounge, vanity and femininely styled ladies sitting area completed the room. Someone had clearly put a lot of time and effort into making this room the perfect end of day retreat for their beloved wife.

And that same someone had clearly removed his things, and closed the room, never to be touched again after her passing. The ghost of something incredibly traumatic having happened lingered in the air.

No Echo vision came to her, however as it often did in times like this, suggesting that Cid had no memory of what had occurred here.

Dainty turned to look at him questioning, her tea finally cool enough to drink.

“My Mother committed suicide here.” Cid explained.

“Oh!” Dainty recalled Cid briefly mentioning the woman had died earlier but only in passing.

“I was only 1, I don’t remember her but from what I was told after she gave birth she entered an odd depressive state that none could rouse her from.” Cid hesitated, then remembered he had promised her his honesty and added; “After a year of lingering thus she apparently stated she no longer had any desire to come third in her own marriage behind Gaius in middle of a dinner party, walked to this room and threw herself off the balcony.”

“Seven Hells!”

That put a sudden, disturbing twist on Gaius behavior towards Cid. Protection and isolation looked awfully similar all of a sudden.

“I know what you’re thinking.” Cid said, reading the expression on her face. “But I have heard from my Fathers’ contemporaries, who were there that night, independent of Gaius, that she had always been prone to dramatics. Threatening to kill herself when My Father wasn’t paying her enough attention was apparently common enough that no one took her seriously, or ever expected her to do it.”

“Gaius favoritism toward you suddenly makes more sense if he was in love with your Father.” Dainty named bluntly.

“I don’t think…” Cid shook his head insistently, mistaking her tone for judgment.

“I feel bad for Gaius if that is the truth, there is nothing kind about unrequited love. Your Father clearly loved your Mother, not Gaius, that much is written all over this room and it’s a tragedy she couldn’t see that.”

Cid grew silent, watching her as she investigated the vanity and found it full of jewelry, eyes lighting up in surprise. For all that she was a warrior and Dragon Slayer Dainty had always liked pretty things. She liked feminine dresses, and glittering gemstones and flower filled gardens.

Now was clearly not the time to address it but she would very much have liked to wear some of that jewelry in the future.

“You don’t find the concept of a man being in love with another man disgusting, or depraved?” Cid questioned, surprised at her statements.

“Of course not! Do you?!” Dainty demanded, eyes suddenly harsh.

“No!” Cid protested, throwing up his hands at her look. “But I am a very, very severe minority in Garlemald. I’m not used to hearing it spoken of so normally.”

“Oh.” Dainty relaxed, then smiled at him gently, thinking of her friends long departed, and that Cid would have gotten a kick out of knowing Hoary Boulder and Coultnet, had they survived. “A heart beats for another heart, the packaging it comes in is the will of the Mother Crystal, not us.”

“Right.” Cid agreed. He wasn’t too sure about the Mother Crystal part of her statement but the fact remained that love between two consenting adults was between them and no one else in Cid’s opinion. “I have never asked Gaius, I’ve never cared to know and frankly, his favoritism of me comes from the fact I’m useful beyond anything else.”

Dainty walked over to him, slipping the hand not holding her tea into his.

It seemed a very good time for a subject change and she asked; 

“What else is on this floor?”

There were 2 more large bedrooms, a nursery complete with Nurse Maid’s quarters and a large library. Cid mentioned spending most of his early childhood in that library and nursery, being told stories by his nurse maid and ignored by his Father.

The second level was almost entirely empty, although Dainty thought the rooms might have once been bedrooms. There was 7 in total, with 3 bathrooms between them, an unused kitchen and the large central room that they had been married in.

Cid said had once been used for hosting cocktail parties and social debates, which explained the lavish chandelier.

“I let the former staff take anything they wanted when I closed up the rooms. It seemed silly to let it all go to ruin, sitting up here doing nothing.” Cid admitted and Dainty drew close to him pressing her face into his arm. He gave a small laugh. “Then I ended up here and I just could not see the point in opening all the rooms, or refurnishing them when it was just me.”

“You’re an Engineer, you don’t really care about that stuff.” Dainty commented, mimicking his earlier words back to him and he smiled. At the time he had been using them as lie by omission to avoid speaking the truth but the fact remained that it was partially true.

“I really don’t, but, if you wanted too, you’re most welcome to.” Cid offered, leading her down to the main level. “It’s your house too now, weird as that is. You should be able to have a space that is yours. Just don’t ask me to change the rooms I’ve already got set how I like them.”

“No moving into that great big bedroom upstairs?” Dainty teased, her tone of voice and smile making it very clear it was harmless joking.

“No.” Cid shuddered.

The idea of sleeping in that room gave him the creeps, although he never could explain why. He hadn’t even known his mother, why should her death affect him so tangibly?

The fact remained that it did, however.

Aside of the large bedroom and ensuite that had once been the main guest suite, now Cid’s room, and the 2 bedrooms that he was using for storage there were 2 private studies, the massive main kitchen and front sitting room and 2 additional larger bedrooms.

The idea of restoring the estate was not an unpleasant one to Dainty.

She had never had a place of her own to decorate as she saw fit. For most of her life she had slept in barracks, or shared quarters unless she spent her own gil on a room at the Inn for the night.

Even with the Scions she had technically had her own room but it wasn’t unusual to find someone sleeping in it, with space being as tight as it was.

A smile touched Dainty’s mouth, remembering how often she had found Y’Shtola asleep in her bed, and simply climbed in next to her.

Y’Shtola had been the only Scion Dainty was close enough to too feel comfortable sleeping beside and that was how they had discovered that Dainty would sleep peacefully if she fell asleep with someone touching her versus the violent twitching she experienced when she was alone.

Thoughts of that murdered conjurer turned Dainty's mind to grounds themselves, and their ruined state. It was Y’Shtola that had taught her about plants, and how to cultivate life from the soil.

“What of the grounds?” Dainty asked softly. “Are they also available to me to restore?”

She knew how to grow a selection of useful herbs and things that could be used for making potions but had always wished for more time to learn to cultivate more exotic plants, like lilies and roses. If she were to be a house wife it seemed time was finally something she had a plenty of.

“Just don’t touch my work shop.” Cid grinned.

“Never!” Dainty promised with a smirk. “Can we go see it?”

Hand in hand they wandered out of the house.

Cid honestly could not have cared less about the gardens, as evidenced by the over grown and unkempt state of them. Even when his Father was alive they had received minimal attention. 

It had been some distant Grandmother who had laid out all the garden beds to receive the right amount of sunshine for whichever crop was planted there in and some far removed great Uncle had been responsible for the rose garden. 

Garlond family legend held that there had once been an enclosed pagoda, complete with bed and bar, at the center of the rose garden and only those personally invited for late night rendezvous would know how to unlock the door. 

The Pagoda was long gone by the time Cid had inherited the Estate but Dainty liked the idea of a scandalous love shack in the middle of a sea of flowers very much.

The work shop was at the far back of the estate from the house, tucked diagonally at the north west corner and flanked to the west by the still furnished but empty staff quarters. A couple of the rooms had been pressed into service as storage as various half-finished projects had spilled out of the work shop.

“I don’t like the idea of staff, and servants.” Cid admitted, looking at the unused building. 

He had never liked being waited on, or served although he understood the need to have people working in the background to maintain an estate as large as his own. It would be utterly impossible for 1 person to do alone, even with the various Magitek conveniences that existed to make manually labor less arduous.

Even as a child the constant presence of the staff had made him uncomfortable and it was worse now that he had been alone for so long.

His Father had been similarly ambivalent to it, although not quite to the same level of discomfort. Cid recalled Midas saying that ultimately the Estate was never truly theirs, for it belonged not only to any and all future Garlond’s but also to the people employed there.

It was their responsibility to share the wealth by providing employment for those not fortunate enough to be born into a family of wealth and nobility. The words had not meant much to Cid at the time, having been only a child but now that he was older he could see the wisdom in that line of thinking.

“You’re an Engineer, you just don’t care for that sort of thing?” Dainty suggested with a light, flirting tease to her voice and Cid gave a laugh.

“Exactly. Glad we understand each other.” He pushed open the door to the work room with a grin. “Let me show you what I do care about.”

 

 

Cid didn’t have a particular bed time but Dainty liked to go to bed promptly at midnight. He very much wanted to go to sleep holding her again as he had the night before and so when she yawned and headed for the bedroom he instantly followed.

A pleasant, content feeling settled over him as Dainty braided her hair for sleep and curled up into his side.

 _I could get used to this_ – Cid though idly, then amended that – _Sod it, I'm already used to this. This is great._

Logically he knew it wouldn’t always be this easy.

They were both on their absolute best behavior and trying to be considerate to one another and issues would inevitably arise but he had to admit that this was not at all what he had envisioned when Gaius had imperiously informed him that he was going to be married to a foreign born Au’Ra.

They had gotten lucky in that they agreed on most things and when he had asked Dainty if she needed anything she had merely hugged him and declared she would ask for little more than his touches when she needed them.

Cid was more than happy to provide those, and receive them, Dainty snuggling in close and making that happy sighing noise that he was rapidly growing to like very much.

He wasn’t really tired, although enjoyed the sensation of Dainty’s body relaxed against his in sleep.

If insomnia had ever come calling for Dainty she had beaten the snot out of it as the Au’Ra could apparently fall asleep in under a minute. Cid was more than a little jealous of that.

His mind turned to the events of day, replaying conversations and cataloging snippets of information for future reference.

_Dainty likes coffee and wine. Drinks contraceptive tea after sex.. Likes sex… that was pretty great. Must see if she wants to do that again tomorrow… shit.. .wait…where was I… Dainty likes coffee, wine and cooking….. clearly the grief of what she has endured has warped her mind…..food is great but cooking is awful._

A discussion on the house-hold division of chores had arisen after Dainty had cooked lunch.

Each agreed that they were perfectly capable of picking up after themselves when they made the mess alone.  
Why should Dainty clean up Cid’s magitek and why should Cid clean up Dainty’s home improvement projects.

But things that benefitted both of them, such as laundry, and the cleaning of common areas, should be divided equally as much as possible.

The only thing Dainty had specifically requested was that at the end of every day he would clean the kitchen. She would be glad to cook for them, and did not mind spot cleaning between meals but thought it only fair that she was provided a clean kitchen in the morning.

Cid had absolutely no problem with that. The notion of enjoying cooking was unfamiliar to him but he was actively looking forwards to any and all future meals Dainty dispensed.

She had made chicken stew for lunch all while carrying on a conversation about how she and her late Miqo’te friend used to snuggle. Cid had offered to help only to be very firmly told that she liked her kitchen the way she liked her battlefield.

Without risk of collateral damage.

_Dainty likes coffee, wine, cooking and pizza._

He had insisted on ordering out for dinner, however, telling her his stomach would not know what to do with itself if it didn’t get its minimum requirement of junk food for the day but mostly he had felt completely undeserving of being cooked for in such a manner.

All 3 meals when he was used to none was excessive and he had never liked to be served, or waited on.

Dainty discovered that the pair of guards posted at the ornate gates also functioned as Cid's hands outside of the high walls, and also that pizza was delicious.

It had been introduced to Garlemald years ago by a now unknown Aan conscript and had become very popular in the city. The sturdy bread, sauce and toppings foodstuff had lent itself well to being delivered without losing too much temperature, especially once the quick travel system Cid had designed had been completed in the city.

He confessed to eating it often enough that he only had to tell the guards at the gate that he wanted pizza and they knew his order by heart and would relay that order to a lower ranking soldier.  
The items were then procured, inspected to ensure nothing was tampered with, or poisoned before being delivered to Cid.

Only 2 people in the entirely of Garlemald held to code to the gates.  
Gaius and Cid himself.

_Dainty likes coffee, wine, cooking and pizza. Has naturally curly blonde hair and is ticklish on the skin near her scales. Make extra note of that in case of more sex tomorrow….that was so great…. Wait, get back on track….. Doesn’t care who dates who, which is fantastic. Used to snuggle with her Miqo’te friend…. Oooooooh…. Oh I just got that._

Cid glanced down at the crown of mint green tresses tucked under his chin.

_Dainty likes coffee, wine, cooking, pizza and ladies… heh heh heh…. stop that, before you poke her in the leg…. Although that might deserved._

Her tail was poking him in the leg right at that moment, after all. Cid reached down, jostling her to grab the offending scaled appendage and moving it out of the way. Dainty mumbled something that might have been “thanks” or sleepy nonsense.

His eyes fell on her boxes, neatly stacked in the corner. She hadn’t started to unpack yet, there was nowhere for her to unpack too, now that Cid thought of it.

He drifted off to sleep, making plans to shift the bedroom around so that she could have half of the space in it. She was well entitled to it.

She was his wife.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are going well. Perhaps a little too well.


	7. Whats In Your Head?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dainty gets a small reality check about life with the Emperor's most favorite and protected person.

Cid had requested a couple hours alone in the morning, which Dainty had not minded providing, hogging the bathroom to take an extra long shower as well as dye and deep condition the attention demanding curls she had been both blessed and cursed with.

Dainty had figured that Cid was needing some alone time to compose his thoughts. She knew full well going from alone to suddenly possessed of a person who invited themselves your their personal space could be trying.

Yda had done it to her, once upon a time, sneaking up behind her and yelling “HUG ATTACK!” while throwing her full body weight onto Dainty.

Dainty had learned to duck out of range, side stepping and letting Yda face plant into the floor boards while Papalymo had pretended to scold the masked blonde.

Now Dainty would have given anything to hear Yda yelling behind her, although knowing she would never hear such words again. Nor Y'Shtola's soft, purring counsel, or Minfilia's gently accented explanations.

They were all long gone and lost to her.

Only when Cid had reappeared to shoo her from the bathroom and out of the bedroom entirely with a smirk had she realized he was up to something. Dainty had shrugged and gone outside to dry her hair in the morning sunshine as he apparently desired.

She was lazily drinking a coffee on what was left of the lawn after years of neglect when Cid reappeared again, still smiling and clearly proud of himself.

“I have a surprise for you.” Cid announced, offering her a hand. “Come see.”

“Alright.” Dainty smiled, happy to be infected with his good mood and born into the bedroom. She half expected the surprise to be sex, and frankly wouldn't have complained.

The vanity she had been looking at yesterday had been carried downstairs, cleaned and installed in the bedroom next to the bathroom door. A pretty plush velvet stool tucked neatly next to it.

The legs had been lowered, as had the legs on the stool, to be the exact right height for a petite Au’Ra, as opposed to a tall Garlean woman.

Not only that but the mirror had been polished and all of Dainty’s cosmetics had been neatly placed upon it.

Her folded clothes had been unpacked into it, those that needed to be hung had been placed in the cupboard next to Cid’s own.

“I hope I wasn’t too forward, unpacking your things for you.” Cid offered and Dainty turned to him with another smile.

“I told you to put your hands up my skirt within 20 minutes of meeting you properly. Forwardness is never something I will scold you for.” Dainty laughed. “This is fantastic, thank you!”

She opened the top draw, curious which of things he would have placed there and discovered it was still full of jewelry that had caught her eye yesterday with a soft gasp, and looking to Cid for an explanation, thinking he had not realized it was there.

“I thought; someone ought to wear it. I don’t know anything about jewels or fashion but it seemed like it would go with your nice dresses.” Cid explained, only when she made a shocked expression did he realize that such expensive finery might be far too extravagant a gift for this soon into the relationship. “Was that wrong? Your eyes lit up when you say it yesterday so I thought…..”

“No, no.” Dainty reassured him, then gave a light laugh, thinking of Ishgard as she tried on a ring that was several sizes too big for her finger. “The entailed jewelry always goes to the wife of the firstborn son.”

Cid laughed as the ring slipped around her finger, the weight of the gemstone dragging it upside down.

“We might have to resize some of it for you.”

“Should we go into town?” Dainty asked, picking through the jewelry, trying on another band style ring on top of the one she was already wearing, trying to decide which of the rings would make a nice wedding set.

Her thoughts of the Scions had made eager to go out and learn about the city.

She knew nothing of Garlemald and its technology.

The last time she had been so off her guard all her friends had died and that made her twitchy, even if she was well aware Cid was technically under house arrest for his own safety.

Gaius had shown Dainty around the palace to some extent but it had been simply unfeasible for the Emperor to take her around the city itself. He would have been mobbed in an instant.

“I am not supposed to leave the compound without escort.” Cid reminded her, doubting Nero would consent to accompany him a second time.

He was quite certain the blonde had only agreed to it the other day because Nero had also wanted to be present when Gaius arrived home for Nero's own ends.

“What do you call me?” Dainty retorted with a smirk.

“Better company than Nero, that’s for bloody sure.” Cid commented. “But I really shouldn’t.”

Gaius had scolded him for leaving yesterday, after all, and sent the Tribuni to keep him under guard while the gate guards were sent to replenish the pantry.

Dainty slipped the rings off her fingers and putting them away slowly and trying to put the sudden, morbid thoughts from her mind.

“That is fine.” Dainty replied softly, not looking at him. Although she wasn’t doing it on purpose the effect of bright orange limbal rings on melancholy dark purple eyes was devastatingly effective.

_Aw Hells, she’s sad. I don’t think I can take those eyes being said. It is clearly not fine. That is the exact same thing she said when it wasn’t fine the other night but she was putting up with it for my benefit_ \- Cid recognized, trying to think of something comforting to say; 

“You could go out, Dainty, just because I am a stuck here doesn’t mean you have to be.”

“I…”

She choked on the words she was trying to say, a lump in her throat and tears welling up in her eyes. She shoved her face into her hands, embarrassed to cry in front of him but utterly unable to control it.

Cid panicked, utterly freezing in place, as she gave a little sob.

It had been months since her grief had snuck up on her but his blithely suggesting she go out into a massive, sprawling city full of technology she had never even seen before, let alone knew how to use had triggered the feelings of complete and utter helplessness she had felt at seeing her friends cut down in front of her while she was unbalanced, and unsure of what was going on.

The constant hum of the magitek that riddled the house put her on edge.

She had no idea what was a normal noise and what was a potential attack, just like she hadn’t known what was a normal amount of Brass Blades in attendance and what was an odd amount for a supposedly peaceful, celebratory feast.

 _Do something. Do anything you bloody half- wit!_ – Cid mentally yelled at himself, running through his list of things Dainty liked before settling on touch, taking two quick steps to her and wrap her up tightly in his arms.

“If I cannot properly protect you, what am I doing here?” Dainty sobbed into her hands her arms tucked between them so that he fully enveloped her. He could feel her hot tears leaking from between her fingers to moisten the front of his shirt.

“This is not about jewelry is it?” Cid asked the top of her head, deeply confused and feeling like he was missing something.

She was incapable of replying for several long moments, not bothering to try and quell the tears.

It was Belle Haillenarte that had taught her how to properly grieve her friends. Haurchefant, for all that he cared for her, had been a similarly stoic warrior raised in an environment where to show emotion was to show a weakness that ones enemies could exploit. They had grieved the Scions together but it had been in long, tear less silences at the Halonic temples.

Belle was the one who had encouraged Dainty to talk about her friends, the good times and the bad, even if doing so made her cry so hard she could not see straight and to accept that tears did not make one weak anymore than liking pretty dresses did.

Slowly the wave of sorrow began to pass, allowing Dainty to remind herself that there was little chance of an incident like the murder of the Scions occurring while she was unbalanced, and that she could have one of the gate guards teach her how to move around the city.

Once she had her bearings, if Cid was comfortable with the idea, there would be no reason they could not go out together. If an Eikon slayer was not capable of defending against any attack that might be sent his way then there was truly no hope for the man.

She slid her arms from between them, wrapping hers around him and snuggling close as the tears finally abated.

“Are you okay?” Cid asked, incredibly concerned and still at a loss.

“Yes.” Dainty replied softly before took a breath, calming herself. “Everything here is strange and foreign to me. I made the mistake once, going somewhere I was unsure, and they used my ignorance to murder my friends before I could react. Getting the jewelry resized would be a convenient cover story, married Eorzean’s wear wedding rings, but mostly I just wanted to learn as much as I could about the city I now live in.”

Cid arms tightened around her almost reflexively, suddenly feeling incredibly guilty. Not used to thinking of someone else he had just assumed she would be fine.

She was thousands of malms away from everything she had ever known, of course she would be unsure and uncomfortable, no matter how diligently she tried to show him nothing but smiles, and a calm façade.

Cid could have kicked himself, the signs had all been there.

She made coffee the old fashioned way, not because it made a better cup of coffee but because the devices in the kitchen were completely unknown to her. Her astonishment at Gaius turning on the chandelier was not because of the crystal fixture but at the light being summoned from seemingly nowhere.

She had listened to him talk about the Magitek in his workshop yesterday with rapt attention. Cid had assumed she was doing it to be flattering, most of it was very mundane other than the levitation engine. It was mostly broken down Reaper parts that he kept refusing to throw away. Wedge had been partial to Magitek Reapers, treating them as pets that were alive.

A small fondness for the friendship once shared with that particular Lalafell made it impossible for Cid to give up on any broken down Reaper, fully intending to restore each and every one, even though he never seemed to have the time for personal projects behind all the things Gaius asked him to make for the city itself.

Now Cid realized Dainty’s undivided attention had not been to stroke his ego but because she was genuinely interested in learning about this technology she had very little experience with.

“I am a bleeding thick-wit. It never even occurred to me how difficult this would be for someone not born and raised here like me.” Cid admitted.

Dainty gave a little sigh, drawing back and turning away to wipe her eyes and wash her face, taking a moment to fully collect herself.

Cid was sitting on the bed waiting for her when she returned and gave her a small, teasing smile;

“I am getting the feeling “It’s fine” actually means “I will accept this but I would really rather not” in Dainty-speak.”

Dainty gave a rueful little giggle;

“It took a long time for people to accept that someone who looks like me could swing an axe like I can. I had to be stubborn, and make people listen to me. That pushiness remains, even though what I can do now goes without question. I try to reign myself in, unless it is a dire emergency. As much as I would like it to be my husband who takes me, and teaches me about the city, there is no reason it cannot be a trusted member of the XIVth, therefore, it is fine.”

Cid could well believe that, even he had described her as a delicate slip of a thing when he first met her.

She came and sat on the bed beside him and Cid put an arm around her lightly. The Au’Ra instantly snuggled into his side, leaning into him. Someone wanting to be physically close to him all the time was going to take some getting used to after years spent alone but she had said would ask for little other than his touch when she needed it.

That was certainly proving true at how quickly she had abandoned the notion of going out simply because he did not like the idea.

“As much as I would like to take you out, I doubt the gate guards would even let me. Their orders come directly from Gaius but I will tell Gaius to change those orders at once. You slay Eikons, I do not doubt for a second I would be safe with you, unbalanced or not.”

That placated Dainty enough that when she drew back from the hug it was with eyes that were full of smiles, turning her face up to his.

An odd thought struck his ever working mind, completely missing Dainty's cue to kiss her; “You’ll need a weapon.”

He did not like to make weapons, he never really had although he had been considered a prodigy at it as a teenager. Gaius was convinced that Nero, considered the realm’s best weapon-smith aside of Cid himself, could not be trusted. So Cid was contemplating actually making weaponry for the first time in longer than he cared to remember.

“I like axes.” Dainty leaned closer still, one eyebrow arched in amusement that he was distracted. “Cid!”

He looked at her, confused, and she giggled a little and tapping her bottom lip with one finger.

“Oh!” Cid made a noise of surprise but leaned in for what he fully intended to be a quick kiss. The second his mouth was on hers all thought of axes left his brain in a rush and all he knew was that he absolutely did not want to stop kissing Dainty.

Her arms went around his neck as his insinuated themselves around her waist, tugging her towards the bed on pure instinct.

He didn't mean to be demanding, it was just that he had completely lost his head for a couple minutes there and when he managed to collect his scattered wits Dainty was pinned beneath him on the bed.

Dainty went quite willingly, not wanting to stop kissing him either. She sipped his lips, quick, teasing, fleeting kisses so that he would give a growl and kiss her properly.

The more he leaned into her, the more she leaned back until he was laying entirely on top of her. Dainty quite enjoyed the pleasant heat and weight of his solid, muscular body, hands stroking everywhere she could reach encouragingly.

Cid broke the kiss, breathing hard.

“Why'd you stop?” Dainty asked breathless herself, looking up at those stunning pale blue eyes.

“I swear I'm not insatiable.” Cid told her anxiously. He wasn't normally like this, not at all, and he needed her to know that.

“Our chemistry is a little addictive.” Dainty bit her lip, smoothing some white hair out of his eyes for him.

“I don't want you to think that I will pounce on you every time you want a kiss.” Cid reassured her.

She ran her thumb across his bottom lip.

“I promise I won't think that, and do not worry. If I ever don't want to be pounced upon, you will know it.” Dainty giggled.

“I suppose it is sort of unnecessary to worry about coming on too strong with someone who slays dragons.” Cid commented.

“Precisely. Besides, it is normal to have a hard time keeping ones hands off one another in the early stages of a relationship. That is half the fun!”

Cid considered that, and thought her words to be very true. It had been a long time since he had experienced the hazy, excited tingles of infatuation. The rush of always wanting to be with someone, talking about everything and nothing and learning each other’s personalities and minds and bodies all at the same time.

She was right, it wouldn’t always be like this, best take advantage of it while they could.

“I had forgotten.” Cid murmured.

She gave him a sweet smile, something wicked playing her in purple and orange eyes.

“I'm a shiny new toy to be played with... so play with me.” she purred, inclining her head so that she could bite his shoulder playfully. “Because I fully intend to play with you.”

Cid gave a light groan, and returned the favour, nibbling her neck and making her squirm, rapidly learning that Dainty was prone to rushing when she got all riled up.

“Is there anything you especially like?”

“Talk to me. I love your voice. I want to hear you enjoying me.”

“Dammit, Dainty.” Cid growled at that, just when he thought he couldn’t get any more turned on she hit him out of nowhere with that. “You’re incredible.”

He kissed her again, before rolling them over so that she could straddle him, and he could take off her shirt. Dainty grinned, more than happy to let him get her naked. She liked how confident he already was with her.

It seemed like it took Cid a few moments to figure out he was allowed to kiss and touch her and once he did he was happy to do both repeatedly.

As before he was almost instantly over-whelmed by the affection as she pressed kisses to his throat and chest, sucking on his pulse and letting her hands roam everywhere.

“Dainty.... don't, I was trying to spoil you...”

“You can do that later.” she retorted playfully, her lips moved across his stomach, tongue gliding across his skin as her deft fingers found the ties of the simple cotton pants he wore. Her fingers curled into the loosened waist band, pausing to shoot him a questioning smirk.

If he really wanted her to stop, now would be the time to tell her so.

Cid lifted his hips, allowing her to remove them and render him naked, his erection jutting up eagerly in front of her face.

She wrapped her lips around the tip of his cock.

Cid's eyes closed of their own accord, a groan bubbling up from back of his throat as one large hand tangled in the length of her hair. He couldn't remember the last time he got a little female attention, let alone a whole lot of it.

Her mouth worked the tip of his shaft, sucking and bobbing on his length while her hands moved across his skin as if playing an exotic instrument.

The effect of her mouth pulling pleasurably on his cock in a predictable rhythm while her hands were in constant, unexpected motion was devastatingly effective.

Up, down, up, down, a fluttering stroke of fingertips at his hips. Up, down, up, down, pleasant scratches on his thighs.

The warmth and suction pressure from her mouth was sending pleasure flooding through him, making Cid melt into the bed, eyes half rolling back into his head.  
She was over whelming good at that and he wanted more. 

The up and down rhythm changed to her tongue stroking circles around the head of his cock and Cid groaned deeply, a wave of pleasure crashing through him.

He would have to work up to talking to her because right now all he could manage was a half a grunt of warning that he was about to lose it.

Her hands swept up and mindlessly he grabbed her hands, muscles clenching and tensing.

Dainty sucked as much of his length into her mouth as she could fit in her mouth, swallowing repeatedly until he growled and shot his load down her throat. 

Cid's head arched back into the pillows, spinning slightly as Dainty gave his cock one last affectionate lick. 

He wasn't entirely sure when he had interlaced his fingers with hers but Dainty did seem to mind.

“Thank you.” Cid told her sincerely. 

Clearly Au'Ra's, or at least Dainty, were a good bit more libertine than Garlean women as even when Cid had been actively dating oral sex had always been an unusual treat. Something reserved for special occasions, or if the lady happened to be manipulative and wanted something from him.

He wasn't used to it being a fun and casual bedroom activity.

“You’re welcome” Dainty giggled, moving so that she could lay on his chest and folding her arms across his pectoral muscles to resting her chin on her hands.

Now that his pulse was starting to calm a little a thought occurred to Cid;

“Note to self; just let Dainty do as she pleases. Its far more enjoyable that way.”

She looked guilty, burying her face in his chest;

“Sorry! Was I too pushy? I swear I can be dissuaded with a firm no.”

“You were fine.” Cid laughed. 

His arms came around her, easily able to manipulate her weight after years of hauling magitek around, maneuvering her onto her back a a touch awkwardly. He had not her warriors grace of movement but Dainty wasn't complaining. 

He kissed her mouth but quickly abandoned it in favor of working his way down her body before she had a chance to decide to rush something else. His hands cupped her breasts as his tongue drew teasingly down her neck.

Dainty's breath left her in a gasp, eyes blurring a bit, falling into the growing feeling of arousal haze. 

Cid's hands were touching her everywhere, following the lines of her scales, dipping in for her small waist, curving over her hips toward her panty covered pussy.

Dainty thought to lift her hips to let him remove the clothing but Cid had other ideas, kissing the valley between her breasts as he rubbed her core in long languid strokes which made an intoxicating friction against her clit through the fabric. Dainty squirmed, biting a lip and telling herself firmly not rush. 

She had promised him the opportunity to play and it would be very cruel to renege on that now. 

His strokes got faster rubbing against her clit harder.

“Oh!” Dainty arched, pleasure lancing up her spine. She felt light headed and there was something fantastically perverse about the fact he hadn't even needed to take off her small clothes to get her panting. “Shit. Cid! Right there!”

She scrunched her eyes closed, one leg shaking as fingers stroked her clit over and over. His mouth found that ticklish spot on the hollow of her throat and his tongue lingered there.

“AH!” It was too much. An orgasm flashed through her, sending her into a slightly hypersensitive high and twisting away from his questing fingers to twtich and gasp for a couple moments.

“woooooow.” Dainty breathed, eyelids fluttering open as she came down to earth, then smirked at Cid, who looked singularly proud of himself. “Should have known the Engineer would be good with his hands.”

Cid gave an ungraceful snort of laughter. It wasn't the first time the joke had been made but he didn't mind, he was gratified to see the technique, slightly adapted for someone with ticklish scales, still worked as desired.

It had been an awful long time since he got to put it into practice.

He moved towards her, finally drawing her now arousal soaked panties down her legs. She reached for him, wanting kisses but Cid paused.

“Will your tail tolerate my weight?” He asked, resting a hand on her hip. 

It would be a pity to do without his favorite position for the rest of his life but there were so many fun positions to try, it was not worth injuring her.

“I didn't have a problem earlier did I?” Dainty smirked. He had been laying fully on top of her when they had been kissing after all.

“There's a difference between.... you know!”

Dainty giggled at his slight awkwardness. Clearly he was a good bit more reserved than she was and getting him to talk dirty to her would be an ambitious endeavor. 

Luckily for both of them she relished a good challenge.

Dainty wriggled, shoving the fore mentioned tail to one side, splayed her legs open and adjusted her hips just so. She raised her arms raised above her head and crossing them delicately at the wrists so that she pinned her hair out of the way and her body was in the perfect position for him to climb on top of her.

“Any kinks my tail gets while you're fucking me are your responsibility to massage out later. So make it worth it... husband.”

Cid sucked in a breath, a bolt of arousal slamming him hard in the gut.

He was not expecting to be addressed by that name, period. Let alone for it to sound quite so erotic when drawled quite like that, her eyes holding his shamelessly.

He moved between her legs carefully.

Dainty gave a little impatient growl, reaching for him and pressing her mouth hungrily to his.

She still wanted kisses.

Tongues met, stroking against one another until pausing for breath was a dire necessity. Dainty felt Cid's weight settle on top of her again and stroked her hands down his back encouragingly. 

His hard length pressed up eagerly against her wet cunt and she shuddered in anticipation of being full of him. 

Cid pushed himself inside her and Dainty let out a carnal gasp that somehow managed to convey exactly how euphoric it felt to feel her beneath him in one wordless syllable.

"Gods, Dainty." Cid groaned thickly. He instantly felt feverish.

He began to move within her and she locked her legs around his hips, raising hers to meet his thrusts, he alternated short, sharp thrusts and longer, hard strokes. Withdrawing almost to the very tip before pushing back into her, his hips crushing hers to the bed.

“Oh” she groaned, the weight of him on her was exquisite.

His mouth moved to her breasts, feasting on her flesh ravenously as their bodies rocked together. He was so focused on her, his fingertips digging into her hips and peppering love bites across her breasts, all the while keeping up that hard, deep rhythm that made her lose her mind.

Her hands ran through his hair as his lips closed over one nipple, pulling and tugging at the sensitive flesh with his lips until she moaned his name raggedly.

Cid’s mouth found her throat and the cluster of scales there, biting and rasping her skin with his tongue, hungrily inhaling her sweet scent as he fucked her. Dainty pulled herself against him harder with every thrust, taking him in as she arched. His hands finding her hips and tilting them slightly.

"Cid… oh...fuck… Cid!!” Dainty babbled his name mindlessly. The heat from their bodies and the sensation of him railing into her was too much, his teeth sunk into her neck while his fingers pinched, and twisted her nipples.

Her legs tightened on him, drawing her nails down his arms. 

She was going to cum, she could feel it building. 

“Kiss me.” Dainty demanded, insatiable. If he would not talk to her, and she respected that it was a difficult request for someone not naturally inclined to be vocal in the bedroom, then it better be because he was kissing her.

Cid kissed her, completely in love with the way she moaned, holding onto her hips and repeating the movement of his hips until Dainty fully screamed and shattered beneath him. 

He stilled within her. 

She sounded like she was in pain when she screamed like that but her shaking, trembling legs belied her true feelings. His hands moved to stroke her scales as aftershocks rippled through her sensitive body. 

Her inner muscles squeezing and releasing on him with each shock until she finally relaxed out of the arch she had tensed into.

"Hmmmmm." Dainty sighed sweetly, her eyes opening to look at the man atop her and realizing he was still rock hard within her. "Keep going.”

She deliberately contracted her inner muscles on his still hard length and smiled when he hissed a breath between his teeth.

“I… uhf!… you sounded like you were in pain.” 

“Not in the slightest.” Dainty smiled at him, touched by his concern for her. “Keep going.”

She rolled her hips beneath him encouragingly, stroking her hands up his back and neck to cup his face and kiss him deeply.

He began to move again, lost in her kisses, before he had to break the kiss to breathe.

Watching her face contort with pleasure was intoxicating, moving her hips in time to his, her breasts bouncing with each thrust. 

Cid could feel his peak starting to build deep in his gut.

“Hmmmm” Dainty moaned softly. His hard cock rubbing up against her walls in a way she wasn’t used to from her former bed partners.

Over sensitive from her previous climax it didn't take long for something white and hot to shoot through her. She wrapped her arms around his torso, pulling him towards her. He had been so careful to keep the majority of his weight off her with his arms.

But at Dainty's insistent tugging Cid lowered his weight against her fully, arms sliding under her shoulders to hold her loosely. 

The height difference like this made kissing impossible and Dainty buried her face into his collarbones, dragging her nails down his back.

“Cid..” she mewled a little against his skin, their bodies rocking together, every muscle in her body clenching.

He had to agree.

At that angle the stimulation, coupled with the heat of their bodies pressed tightly together from neck to hip, was intense

Dainty gasped, feeling like she couldn't breathe from sensations lacing up from her core.

Her hands turned into claws at his back but Cid didn't mind, the pain of her nails digging into his skin helped distract him long enough for Dainty to cry out sharply.

Her hips rocked back violently as she tensed like an over coiled spring.

"Ciiiid." Her voice failed her as she shuddered violently and came hard. 

He answered with his own growl, unable to hold it back another ilm as he came, her spasming, clenching cunt milking his length and prolonging the bliss.

He saw a flash of white, and spinning stars behind his tightly closed eyes, body melting into the bed as every muscle relaxed in release.

For a long time they simply lay there, all tangled up together, breathing heavily and enjoying the closeness and warmth of their sweat slicked bodies pressed together.

Eventually Cid was convinced he must surely be too heavy for her, her tail squashed under them the way it was and gently disengaged their bodies, moving to his side so that she could snuggle up tightly, her front to his.

She gave one of those adorable little sleepy noises that Cid had learned to recognize and a smile tugged his mouth unbidden.

_Admit it, Garlond, you are utterly bloody infatuated_


	8. It Could Be Wrong, But It Should Have Been Right

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gaius continues to be a swot and Nero loves life a little less.  
> Cid and Dainty aren't having any of it.

Cid had been sitting at the drafting table, plotting out designs for a compact axe that would fit beneath Dainty's clothing. She was too slender, so that plan had quickly been abandoned.

The flask she had managed to fit on her thigh tickled his mind. 

At first he had considered a spring loaded, compact weapon that could snap into place but quickly discounted that as the tended to be vastly weaker than their solid build contemporaries.

It would have to be an energy weapon then. Something that took the basic form of an ax as she desired, but was actually comprised of mostly energy held in place with a magitek field. The only part that would need to be solid was the cernuleum engine that powered it.

He glanced up, blue eyes flicking to the corner to see where Dainty was. She had found his whiteboard, turned it to the blank side and drawn a passable sketch of him, lost in thought at his drafting table in one corner.

Cid smiled at the Au'Ra, she had her back to him and seeming lost in thought.

Above the sketch she'd written “Cid likes....” and it amused him to see her making the same sort of list that he had made in his head the other night.

She had written coffee, pizza, magitek, my cooking, 

Utterly distracted from the task at hand Cid rose, walking up behind her and taking another marker.

He neatly added “Dainty” to the “Cid likes...” list.

Dainty felt her heart skip a little beat traitorously. She turned, and joyful smile on her mouth and a wicked expression in her eyes.

She had to stand on tip toes to kiss him, wrapping her arms around Cid's neck and pressing her body into his. Lips lingering on hers before the kiss started to grow more involved, tongues stroking against each other. Cid's hands roamed from her waist to her round backside, a tentative pause to make sure that was acceptable, then giving a little squeeze.

Cid thought standing on tip toe like that for a prolonged period was hardly likely to be comfortable but he absolutely did not wish to stop kissing Dainty, except for the few moments it took to lift her onto one of the benches so that their heights were more similar.

Dainty gave a little squeal of delight, wrapping her legs around his hips and using them to pull him against her tightly.

“Do that more.” she urged, breathless.

“What? Pick you up?”

“Yes!”

Hungry mouths quickly found each other again.

Cid's shirt went the way of the floor promptly, so that Dainty could drag her nails up his back and down his arms and stroke her palms down his chest.

He gave a soft grunt against her as she broke the kiss, in dire need of breath, to bite his shoulder playfully.

Cid's hands slid up her shirt with no hesitation and Dainty smiled against his skin, please to see him growing bolder in touching her. She raised her arms obediently so that her shirt and bra could go the way of his. 

Cid pressed his mouth to her neck, and Dainty gave a little gasp, squirming at the ticklish pleasurable sensation. She hadn't bothered putting on pants, as she usually didn't and her silk small clothed pelvis rubbed against his as she moved, soliciting another soft noise from Cid. 

Somewhere, in the back of her lust soaked brain she thought she heard a chime, and paused to breathlessly ask;

“Did you hear that?”

“I can't hear anything above the sound of my own blood rushing out of my head.” Cid muttered and Dainty giggled the chime instantly forgotten;

“Is that so, husband?”

She reached for the front of his pants, caressing and stroking his half hard cock through the thin cotton as he pressed kisses to her bare skin.

The sound of something heavy crunching through the dirt, gravel and leaf decay that had once been neat paths around the Estate managed to pierce through their arousal haze.

“Son of a bitch....” Cid cursed against Dainty's skin, he had just been about to get his mouth on her perfectly perky breasts but that was undoubtedly Gaius. The chime she had heard had been the front gate alarm, chirping to say the correct code had been input.

“Two?” Dainty listened, thinking she could hear two sets of footfalls.

“He's got either Nero or Livia with him.” Cid quickly run outside the work shop, shutting the door firmly behind him and bodily blocking the path of the black and red armored figures that joined him.

Cid absolutely did not want Gaius to see what was in that work shop. 

Unfortunately for Cid his behavior was very out of character. Gaius was well used to being able to stroll into the work shop and have Cid be excited and animated to tell him all about his latest project.

Cid may as well have lit a giant, flashing “I am hiding something” sign above his head, especially in front of a pair of seasoned soldiers well trained in reading body language.

Gaius took one look at his surrogate son, not bothering to remove his helmet, promptly side stepped the white haired man and walked right into the workshop with Nero just a half pace behind him.

Dainty, quite under dressed for such esteemed company, was sitting politely on one of the work benches. 

She jumped down lightly to bob a small curtsy, mindful that Nero was there;

“Please excuse me, your Grace.”

She departed quickly, eyed downcast, pretending to be embarrassed that she wore only her small clothes and one of Cid's shirts.

Gaius watched her go, removing his helmet to smirk at Cid. The white haired man hoping to Hells that Gaius bought Dainty as the only secret lurking in that work shop.

“Gods, Garlond. Are you really that pathetically desperate you could not give the poor thing a chance to get comfortable with her new home before getting at her?” Nero snorted in disgusted tones. 

He didn't really give two shits for Cid's “poor thing” of a wife but the Tribunus saw a chance to get a couple licks in and was determined to take them where he could get them. 

“She insisted!” Cid protested. 

As Nero was unaware of who and what Dainty really was Cid could say little more to defend himself against Nero's implication that he was in some way coercing or abusing his new bride.

Like almost everyone else who ever met her Nero had instantly assumed Dainty was a teenager of gentle birth. 

Gaius burst out laughing.

Nero's smirk. went down a notch. 

“Well, well, well, Cid. I under-estimated you!”

Gaius' has been convinced he would find Cid hiding from Dainty in his work shop.

Cid's disheveled appearance, still in his sleep clothes at 10 in the morning and looking guilty as sin had only momentarily confirmed Gaius' suspicions. 

“What is this? ” Gaius cackled, his attention caught by the white board. “Cid likes Dainty... oh does he? 2 days and you're already mooning over her like love sick school-child!”

Cid sighed, shaking his head; 

“I'd deny it but there isn't a lot of point to speaking nonsense.”

Gaius howled with a hearty belly laugh, clutching at his stomach as he struggled to draw breath through his amusement. 

It had never actually occurred to the Emperor that Cid and Dainty might actively like one another, especially this quickly. 

He had brought Dainty to Garlemald as a means to an end. 

Cid's designed benefited him. He needed Cid alive to continue producing them and he needed Dainty to keep Cid alive. Everything that followed from there, Cid no longer having to be incarcerated in the compound, Gaius conscious being soothed, was ultimately all just fringe benefits.

He had given absolutely no thought to whether or not the might actually get along, or like one another.

If he had bothered to give it any thought it all he probably would have assumed that each would find the other incredibly difficult to relate too, one interested in the art of War, the other interested in the art of Engineering. 

Their being together was what was best for Gaius and it thoroughly amused him that an Engineer and an Eikon Slayer had apparently managed to find a horizontal common ground.

“Well then, out with it. Whats it like to fuck her?” Gaius demanded.

“I am not bloody answering that!” Cid retorted instantly, folding his arms across his chest and fully glaring at Gaius.

Nero, annoyed that his words had failed to chip at Gaius estimation of Cid went snooping around the workshop as the pair bickered. His pale blue eyes lit on the sketches on the drawing table, and he slowly pulled off his helmet to get a better look.

Nero knew his designs were better than Cid's but if had any hope of convincing Gaius of that he would need to get ahead of whatever Cid was working on and present it first. 

Nero was a tol. 

As Tribunus laticlavius of the XIVth he had responsibilities beyond getting to play with magitek all day, unlike Cid, who had all the time in the world to let his mind run and create and invent.

There was little Nero wouldn't do to try and catch a leg up on Cid, and if that meant flat out stealing one of Cid's designs, and improving upon it, then so be it. Nero would take this rare opportunity to get inside the fabled “Garlond Ironworks” workshop for any pound of flesh he could take from it.

Nero noticed there was something off about the weapon Cid was designing almost instantly and, ever eager to drag Cid down in front of Gaius commented archly;

“This will never work. Your specs are all wrong. Magitek fields keep things out, not in. At best you'll end up with a weak shield at the end of a short stick.” Nero snorted. There was a reason energy weapons were not practical above tazers or lightning generators built into armor.

Gaius felt his eyebrows just about meet his hairline in surprise at Nero's words, stalking over to the drafting table to take a look for himself. He could not follow 90% of the notes and technical details but the Emperor recognized a weapon when he saw one sketched out on paper.

“You. Out.” Gaius ordered Nero. “Stand guard outside the compound.”

Nero seethed silently to be addressed like a disobedient animal but slammed his helmet back on and stalked from the work shop.

He would not disobey a direct order from his Emperor. Not while ever there was a chance of that loyalty being rewarded with being named Heir to the throne.

As much as Nero loathed Cid, and would be glad to see the man brought low, he was not so stupid as to act against Gaius favorite person when Gaius was the key to all of Nero's hopes and dreams. 

Nero was so close to power, he could taste it. He just had to keep chipping away at Gaius' respect for Cid, a little here, a little there, to make sure that it wasn't Cid named Crown Prince and not him.

The walk back to the gate, which was located on the North wall directly opposite the house was a quick one, however when Nero arrived there he was presented with a problem.

He did not know the gate code and it had to be input to both enter and leave.

Nero rolled his neck, trying to quell the hot rage that leapt higher at this indignity on top of being ordered from the Workshop when Gauis should have been praising him for catching Cid's mistakes.

_10, 9, 8... I will murder every last fucking one of them...7, 6,5....starting with Gaius and ending with Rhitahtyn if I have too... 4,3,2, 1.... be calm Nero. Only a little while longer. The opportunity will come and it will serve you naught if you're too blind with rage to see it._

He sat himself down against the gate with an unwilling snort, his armor making a loud clanking noise as he did. The day was warming up but at least he could sit, and it was shaded. It could have been worse. The guards on the other side of the gate were standing in full sunshine in full armor and Nero did not envy them.

Guard duty at the Garlond Estates was a coveted position because being assigned it meant that you had earned Gaius' trust and attention, which was high praise indeed for any conscript. 

It was a hot, boring, unpleasant task, however.

A small blip of colour approaching him from the house caught Nero's attention and he rolled his eyes behind his helmet. It could only be Garlond's wife and Nero would really rather be spared having to converse with that simpering twit. 

Clearly she had no brain in her head at all if she let Garlond fuck her.

Dainty walked towards red, armored figure sitting against the gate, one elbow bent up over his knee.

He was managing to convey an air of bored annoyance, even fully masked.

She wanted to take Nero's measure independent of Gaius, to see if he was one of the things threatening Cid's life. No matter how much she enjoyed cooking, and gardening and playing pretend at being a house wife at her core Dainty was a Warrior who had no intentions of making any mistake more than once. 

She was starting to suspect Hydaelyn had sent her here for a reason. 

That keeping Cid alive, and Gaius on the Throne was important for the entire Star, not just for Garlemald.

She took her responsibility as Warrior of Light very seriously, even if it often did not appear that way to others and, as there was unlikely to be a better opportunity to assess Nero than when he mistook her for a harmless society wife, she headed in his direction with a light smile on her features and a tray in her hands.

It was Thancred who had taught her subterfuge and she had mastered it in Ishgard. One of his key lessons is that people let their guard down when they eat. It was why poisoning was so effective an assassination method and why Dainty had bothered to master the culinary arts.

“What?” Nero asked nastily as she approached, although thankful she had acquired pants.

She set a tray down next to him and he was dismayed to see it contained peach pie, with a helping scoop of vanilla ice-cream. A tall glass of ice water and a cup of coffee, black as can be, the way it ought be served in Nero's opinion.

It looked wonderful and it instantly annoyed the Hells out of Nero that Garlond's wife was a good cook and, apparently, a kind and considerate person. Of course she bloody was. Gaius would never have given “the favorite” anything else.

“You should ask that husband of yours about Bozja sometime.” Nero told Dainty with a smirk, not bothering to thank her for the repast and looking to cause trouble.

“I'm sure he will tell me in his own time.” Dainty said lightly, voice fluttering up slightly into softer, high pitched tones as it tended to do when she was being deceitful. 

“He isn't what you think he is.” 

“Ser, I don't care what he is. So long as he kind to me.”

“Oh good, your standards meet his then.” Nero sneered, taking a jab at the fact that Dainty was an Au'Ra and Cid was apparently so desperate as to not care his wife had scales.

Dainty, having got what she wanted, bobbed a curtsy and walked away.

Nero was nasty, petty and jealous but other than cutting words he wasn't a threat, in her opinion. Gaius had him on entirely too tight a leash.

 

 

“Since when do you make weapons, Cid?” Gaius demanded, voice very dark, staring the white haired Garlean down.

It was years ago now, the night Gaius had caught him attempting to defect to Eorzea with his shop hands. Cid had insisted that Gaius may as well let him go because never again would he create anything designed to take lives, only benefit them.

It was a vow Cid had stuck too, all these years, and it was a vow that he had apparently instantly forgotten the second Dainty wanted a new toy.

“I want to take Dainty out in to the city, she will need a weapon to defend me. You keep telling me I can't trust Nero so where else is she supposed to get one?” Cid shot back, folding his arms across his bare chest. It would have been to awkward to try to put his shirt back on so he didn't bother trying.

“When you make this work I want a full set designed for the army.”

“You agreed never to ask that of me.”

“I'm changing my mind.”

“I'm not.”

Gaius looked at Cid, simultaneously angered and amused by this defiance.

“You get a lot of liberties Cid nan Garlond but even you don't get to defy your Emperor.”

Cid fell silent, debating his next statement very carefully. 

Gaius had ever been champing at the bit for weapons designed by Cid but had kept his word not to use the weight of his crown to force Cid to do so.

Cid had hoped that Gaius would never learn he had made Dainty an axe, the fact that Nero and Gaius had stumbled upon this was pure bad luck and bad timing but Cid would never have agreed to make it if he hadn't not had a hell of an ace up his sleeve.

One given to him by Gaius, no less.

“Then my Emperor probably shouldn't have married me to an Eikon Slayer and told her to protect me above all else. You said it yourself Gaius, thanks to Dainty's abilities as a Warrior I would survive long enough to disappear should the need ever arise. I have put up with everything you have ever subjected me to but you yourself gave me the ability to draw lines in the sand. Push this and everything goes away. Me, the levitation engine, all my airship improvements.”

It was a pure bluff. 

Cid had absolutely no idea what Dainty would do if he told her they needed to flee from Garlemald immediately. She might refuse, she was here for her own protection after all, but Cid doubted it. Gaius clearly thought the chances of Dainty helping Cid abscond were far too high to risk as the mans silence was telling. 

Gaius tapped one armored finger against his leg, then clasped his hands behind his back. A clear sign he did not like this but was going to accept it.

“Very well, Cid.”

“Thank you, Gaius. When I am done with the axe your lapdog can have the designs. I have no doubt Nero capable of extrapolating and adapting the schematics into other types of weapons.” Cid conceded as a peace offering, glad that Gaius had backed down. 

It was not in Gaius nature to do so but, when his self preservation was threatened, he could be persuaded to be reasonable. 

Cid's statements were devastatingly true. Gaius needed Cid to keep the Empire going. There were still soldiers afield in the subjugated territories, only those in lands that had not yet been conquered by Solus, such as Eorzea, had been brought home yet.

Gaius could still lose the Throne in the space of a heartbeat and they both knew it.

“That will please Nero not.” Gaius snorted with amusement. 

He did so enjoy watching Nero's seethe with silent rage and frustration when the Tol had to work off one of Cid's spec sheets. 

Now seemed as good a time as any to inform Nero of this and so Gaius departed the work shop, Cid beside him to politely see Gaius to the gate. Argument or not, Cid was a noble-born, and had been raised with the customs and manners expected of a titled Gentleman. 

They found Nero leaning against the gate, having removed his helmet, half way through a bowl of ice-cream, the only thing left of the peach pie was a couple of smears of jam on the plate that Nero had debated licking clean before turning his attention to the icecream.

“You're a lucky fucking bastard.” He told Cid, licking his spoon. “I hope you get fat.”

Cid snorted with laughter as Nero continued to eat;

“What did she give you, peach or banana pie?”

“Banana was an option?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said I would get to some plot development chapters soon but writing the supporting cast, and torturing Nero is just too much fun.


	9. Glory and Gore Go Hand In Hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unable to get to Cid those with designs on the Throne of Garlemald take fanatical measures.

It was rare that they left the Garlond Estates.

Even with the house arrest lifted they had only been out into the city a handful of times. Dainty had taken its measure quickly and almost anything they wanted could be ordered from the gate guards after all

Both found going out into the city trying.

Cid was both reclusive and something of a celebrity in Garlemald thanks to his designs. Everyone knew the Garlond name and many people stopped to speak to him, paying effusive compliments at how his designs had helped them and the city. After so long alone being forced to be social and interact with strangers was draining in a way he had not anticipated.

Dainty, unusual looking enough to provoke double takes on her own before people remembered their manners and bowed, had to pull double duty playing the role of an Ishgardian born Lady as well as constant assessing the environment and people around them for threats.

It was exhausting and they quickly agreed there was plenty to do at the Estate without having to leave more than a couple times in the month they had been married.

On this occasion it was an order from Gaius that drew them from the Estate.

Supposedly the planned dinner party was to celebrate the Emperor’s return to Garlemald but as that had actually occurred a month prior speculation was running rampant that Gaius would be announcing his new heir at this event, and perhaps addressing what had happened to Zenos.

The man’s ashes had been interred in an unnamed location without fanfare as was expected of someone who was executed on the grounds of treason.  
The official statement was that Gaius himself had wielded the blade.

None challenged the statement.

Zenos may have towered over Gaius, and been augmented to the last onze but Gaius had the weaponry of the 3 most preeminent Garlean engineers at his disposal. Midas’ first, then later Cid’s and Nero’s combined.

If anyone in Garlemald had been capable of ending Zenos’ life, Gaius was it, they believed. However word was never given on what treasonous actions Zenos had taken to warrant capital punishment.

These rumors were making Cid nervous as he and Dainty approached the palace, although Dainty, looking spectacular in a gown of lilac silk, seemed completely unperturbed.

Gaius had promised her Cid would never be in line for the throne and she believed him. The man himself dressed in his full ornamental attire as Emperor, complete with ornate shoulder piece and cape.

His salt and pepper black hair slicked back and dangerously glittering eyes sweeping the room to linger on each face in turn.

Nero and Livia, armored but minus their helmets in deference to the social occasion were in attendance at his heels, as always. Rihtahtyn, the 3rd member of the Tribuni, was moving around the room collecting intel under the guise of socializing.

Most people who spoke to him didn’t even realize the Roegadyn was cataloging their every word.

“I don’t know what is making me more nervous, the idea that Gaius might name me, or that Gaius might name Nero.” Cid muttered to her, taking two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter and handing one to Dainty before they retreated to a back corner. Cid might have felt there was little to fear from Nero currently, as Tribunus laticlavus of the XIVth the majority of Nero’s authority in Garlemald came directly from the fact that the XIV was the Emperor’s personal legion.

Technically, the Tribuni were no different than any other Tol’s or Sas’ within the immense Garlean army. It just happened that the Legatus they followed was also the Emperor.

As Crown Prince, however, Nero could make life nastily difficult for Cid, and the white haired Engineer was well aware of it. Gaius might have respected Cid’s refusal to build weaponry but it was not likely that Nero would.

Dainty put her free arm around Cid’s waist, leaning in to him supportively, even though public displays of affection were considered somewhat classless in Garlemald. After years of being limited on what he could and could not work on by Gaius, in favor of Cid’s designs, Dainty could well imagine Nero taking extreme delight in turning the tables on Cid.

Cid gave her a small smile, thankful for her help calming his nerves.

She only wished she could do the same for her own.

A shiver of something went up Dainty’s spine.

A splendid feast, everyone in their finery, it was so similar to that night in Ul’Dah that it was giving her the creeps and setting her teeth on edge.

“Livia does not rate for consideration solely because she is a woman?” Dainty questioned, trying to ignore the sensation that, if she glanced out of the corner of her eyes, she might see her friends among the groups of people. It was so easy to pretend the blonde in peach tones was Minfilia and the white haired man in black in the far corner was Thancred.

Cid had explained that Livia had been raised by Gaius and was completely devoted to the man. Such loyalty seemed invaluable in an heir to Dainty. She would not have put it past Nero to usurp the throne within a year or two if he were named Crown Prince and Cid flat out did not want it. Cid loathed the idea of ruling, of being served, and waited upon and everyone knew that.

He would be on the next airship to Ishgard afore he would take the throne with her full support.

“I don’t personally agree with it but, that is correct. Livia is also 7 buckets of crazy in a 6 bucket barrel, so perhaps in this case it is for the best.”

“Oh?”

Dainty had interacted with Livia very little but had not particularly picked up anything to suggest the woman was mentally unwell. The hair on the back of her neck felt like it was standing up, her eyes honed in suddenly on a figure in the crowed that hadn’t been there a second ago. Dainty blinked and the crowd shifted and the figure that looked like Y’Shtola was gone.

Cid was explaining something to her and she had missed the first part of it, but able to infer from context when he added;

“… it’s not strictly incestuous. He might not actively call her his daughter but that has ever been the nature of their relationship as far as Gaius is concerned. Livia does not see it quite like that.”

Dainty considered this, looking towards the Emperor and his Tribuni before musing;

“He does not favour her, his sort-of-daughter, the way he does you, his sort-of-son. Is this also because she is a woman?”

“No, its because she’s not useful.” Cid chuckled. “And honestly, I think she scares him a little bit.”

He kept telling Dainty that that was where the majority of Gaius’ favoritism stemmed from, even if the Au’Ra did not entirely believe it. “Liv and I played together as kids, when my Father was still alive and even then she was exhausting. She is so much, all of the time. Always on, always going. Every feeling is felt to its absolute. Anything bad, even slightly, is devastating to her. Anything good, even the smallest thing, makes her absolutely ecstatic.”

“Sounds sort of like the type of woman whom might threaten to kill herself if her husband isn’t paying her enough attention.” Dainty observed and Cid gave a small laugh, impressed at her perceptiveness;

“You wouldn’t be the first to draw that comparison.”

A chill lanced down Dainty’s spine. There was something on the breeze. A whisper of a voice she couldn’t quite hear.

Their light conversation was amusing but she was growing more uncomfortable by the second.  
It felt almost like when she had an Echo vision, but no vision was coming to her.  
Something was blocking her Echo.

Her eyes shifted left and right, scanning the crowd to try and pin point the source of her discomfort.

“Dainty?” Cid questioned, seeing her furtive movements.

“We must go.” She spoke lowly, sotto voice. She had been charged with protecting him and she would do so, even if she did not yet know from what she was protecting him from.

“What is it?”

“I don’t know.” Dainty admitted but put her drink down and took his arm, fully determined to drag him out if he would not escort her willingly.

Cid hesitated, Gaius would be furious if he left but his wife was his priority now. Her well-being was his foremost concern. There was nothing to stop them returning if she felt better after stepping out for some air.

They quickly exited into the streets that surrounded the palace, several bored looking guards giving lazy salutes as they went. Nero’s Red Baron and Livia’s White Devil stood at either side of the palace entrance like Magitek gargoyles.

Cid was just about to comment on it when the palace exploded, sending them scrambling for cover as the shockwave ricocheted around the neighborhood.

An unearthly scream following it.

“Gaius!” Cid made to run back into the palace unthinkingly, only to be stopped by Dainty who shoved him back and positioned herself in front of him as a massive, green draconic looking thing emerged from the hole where the west summer tower used to be. “What the Hells….”

“Primal, Cid. That’s a fucking primal.” Dainty gaped, she gave him a shove in the direction of the Estate. “Run.”

The Red Baron powering up and assuming rider ready position caught their attention and Dainty pointed to it quickly. “Take it and go home!”

“What of you?” Cid demanded.

“I have no desire to find out what terror Garlemald inflicts upon this Star without Gaius at the helm to prevent a second Calamity but I cannot shield you and Gaius both. If you want any hope of your Emperor surviving this you will do as I say.”

Cid looked at her, seeing not his wife behind those purple and orange eyes but Hydaelyn’s Chosen. He nodded slowly, the most helpful thing he could do right now was to go where he would be safe, so that she would not be distracted worring about him.

“Please be careful, Dainty?” Cid asked, approaching the Red Baron.

“I will be back. I promise” She gave him a quick kiss, grateful that he had not argued with her before she picked up the hem of her gown and ran back towards the palace.

Cid jumped into the Red Baron but the controls refused to accept his commands.

“Fucking Nero.” He muttered, jumping down again to access the internals and rewire it on the fly to bypass whatever security protocols Nero had put into it to prevent anyone other than him behind able to use it.

A chill ran up Cid’s spine as it occurred to him Nero might not even be alive anymore to protest the use of his personal Reaper. Obviously some kind of distress beacon within Nero’s armor had been tripped, alerting the Reaper but the fact it had not instantly attempted to return to its owners side suggested the signal had been severed swiftly.

Cid’s blue eyes strayed towards the smoking ruins of the palace, the Primal had disappeared back into it but that didn’t give him any comfort, knowing Dainty was on her way to confront it without so much as armor. Her only weapon the axe he had made for her.

 _Weapon_ \- Cid mused, eyes looking not towards his Estates but the eastern cliff face of the mountains that encircled Garlemald on 3 sides. One of the few Allagan’s weapons that had not been destroyed at Bozja was an ancient, and inert canon. It had been put in position by his Father and, owning to an oversight at the time of its placement, was pointed directly at the palace.

No one had ever been able to figure how to make it fire, although it was generally accepted that it required Aether to do so. Cid remembered vague talk of his Father planning to one day convert the weapon to fire using cernuleum. Given that the weapon could not be aimed, testing the theory had been impossible and quickly abandoned.

After inheriting his Fathers’ title Cid had had no desire to even look at the Weapon. It benefited none to get it working and Garlemald already had plenty of weapons. It needed none more in his opinion and as Grand Minister he had been able to ban all but himself from accessing it despite Nero’s almost constant pressure to be allowed to play with it.

Cid climbed back into the Red Baron, punching in a command and the Reaper quickly carried him towards the edge of the city.

 

 

Gaius’ loyal XIVth were engaged in combat with soldiers clad in uniforms that Dainty didn’t recognize as she ran back into the palace, heading for the collapsed section. They thankfully most ignored her although as she paused to reach for the small, compact axe handle strapped to her thigh. A flick of her wrist and it powered on, forming the rough shape of an axe and cracking with energy.

A soldier lurched towards her, getting close enough she was able to recognize the insignia he wore as that of the Galvus line.

Varis– Dainty realized, dispatching him in one brutal axe swing. The man collapsed to the ground and another appeared, climbing over a collapsed section of roof, and dodging around the rubble to rush towards her.

Two XIVth signifiers moved to intercept Varis' troops, thinking her just one of the dignitaries caught in the melee.

“Ma'am! You must leave here at once. These men have gone insane!”

Dainty's heart lurched in her chest.

If the Primal was already tempering people she needed to stop it. Her original thought had been to locate and remove Gaius before all else but putting the Primal down instantly became her sole focus. She could only hope it hadn’t tempered anyone but those loyal to Varis so far.

“Where is the throne room from here?” Dainty demanded and when they looked fit to protest she summoned her aether to her in a whirl of blood coloured flames. Her eyes glowing red. “Where is the throne room?”

The one of the signifiers, an Elezen, pointed in the direction she needed to go and Dainty sprinted there, having to climb over rubble and debris and fully shouldering half fallen doors and walls out of the way as she went.

Finally she managed to climb her way back to the throne room, instantly taking in the devastation. Corpses littered the floor, those who could run already had.

Her eyes honed in on a splash of red and white at the far end of the room.

Nero, wounded and down on one knee, attempting to protect the unconscious Gaius.  
Livia was cradling the Emperor as best she could trying to shield his body with her own badly wounded form.

“Bow to me, and I may yet let you live.” Varis, unharmed and standing with his back to the throne as if he may sit himself upon it at any moment, was lording his glorious moment over a captive audience.

“Get fucked you crazy fucking shitbag.” Nero snarled in reply.

Varis laughed and sneered;

“A predictably common response from a predictably common man.”

He gestured, the Primal that had replaced the wall behind them drew breath, eyes flaring with power.

Dainty sprinted forwards on instinct, throwing herself in front of Nero, flinging her arms up defensively, subconsciously projecting part of her Echo in front of her like a shield out of sheer desperation.

The wave of tempering swept down the room, breaking like a wave around her shield to slide left and right.

“What do we have here?” Varis crowed, amused by this turn of events and not the slightest bit perturbed. “There be only one creature on this Star capable of a trick like that, little pest, and she were an Au’Ra savage besides, just like you.”

Now that she was closer Dainty could see that Varis’ cold features were transformed with a smirk, and his eyes, not glowing red one might expect of someone who had been tempered but disfigured by a strange, voidsent like effect.

Where should have been white was black. Where should have been blue was brilliant vermillion red. She had never seen anything like that before but had little time to question it.

“Run.” Dainty tossed over her shoulder at Nero and Livia. “I can’t shield you and fight.”  
“I won’t leave him!” Livia replied, hands clutching tighter at Gaius' clothes.

“If we try and move Gaius... Varis will set that.... thing.... on us again.” Nero’s voice was rough, and half choked. He spat out a mouthful of blood, then gestured for her to switch weapons with him. “Mine will... serve you better... if you've a mind to stand against that _thing_ , Eikon Slayer.”

Dainty didn’t disagree.

The weapon Cid had made for her was perfectly acceptable for defending against a front attack by a single assailant, or perhaps 2. Nero’s mjolnir was a war-axe, created for and by someone who lead multiple squadrons into battle.

Nero pressed his own weapon into her hand, accepting the smaller energy weapon. He could barely lift his own anymore anyway, limbs weak from blood loss.

Dainty hefted the mammoth magitek war-axe it to test its weight as Varis laughed at her.

“An axe, Scion? You mean to fight me with an axe? Or do you think your lauded Echo capable of saving you this time too? Fool! If you had even half an inkling of what an Echo can do you may have stood half a chance!”

Dainty didn’t dignify that with a reply, instead noticing finally the ethereal chains that wrapped around Varis’ chest, curled down one arm and extended back to the Primal, effectively leashing it.

Varis saw her expression and smirked; “Do you see now, little pest? The Allagans needed entire citadels to manage what a Resonant can do alone. I admit, I mocked my son and that scientist of his, always researching how to mimic a power that belonged down with the savages who wielded it. But in his death Zenos bequeathed to me the greatest gift possible. The power to bind Eikons and with it, the power to retake what is mine!”

If he had hoped for a reaction from Dainty he was to be disappointed.

She glanced behind her, seeing that Rihtahtyn had joined them. The huge man was shaken but appeared uninjured and Dainty was glad for it. She could not carry Gaius, Livia and Nero out once she was done with the Primal.

A second set of hands would serve her well.

“Stay low, and shield yourselves. Get out as soon as you can. I will try to keep its attention away from you as best I can.” Dainty told the Tribuni.

She dropped her shoulder and strafed towards Varis without warning, aether coalescing around her before any of them could reply, intending to take him out first.

“Behold, the true power of the Echo!” The man laughed, leaping backwards and merging with the Primal to better control is rage and power.

“Fine, I’ll kill both of you at the same time.” Dainty snarled, stalking towards the massive beast as it reared back, shrieking to the heavens.

Her eyes roamed its scaled body, looking for a vulnerable point.

A bolt of something white shot through the Primal, shattering the carapace at its chest and exposing its beating heart. A second shot bouncing off one of its armored wings and leveling part of the palace. Behind her Dainty though she heard Livia scream and an awful, metallic rending noise that sounded suspiciously like part of the roof collapsing but didn’t dare draw her eyes away from the Primal.

She knew not where the blast had come from but she knew how to attack a weak spot and the Primal now had a rather massive one.

Livia wasn’t sure how much more she could take before she slipped into unconsciousness, although the collapsing roof had given her a spot of cover in case Dainty couldn’t prevent the Primal trying to temper them again. 

She had thrown herself over Gaius when the roof started to fall and her back had taken the brunt of it. She was already groggy from blood loss but able to peer through a crack on the debris to see the tiny, gown clad Auri wielding an axe the size of her own torso slam bodily into a creature that dwarfed the entire room they were in.

Remarkably the Au’Ra was able to hit the creature with enough force that it instantly focused on her, turning its back to Livia as Dainty, impossibly light on her feet, strafed behind it to force it to turn around.

“Gaius?” Livia whispered, drawing her attention back to the unconscious man she was shielding. She smoothed some blood damp hair from his face, noting with no small amount of relief that he was still breathing. “We’re going to be okay, my Lord. We’re going to be okay.”

 

 

People were chattering in fear, and disbelief, starting to gather around the edge of the debris field that was once the Imperial Palace.

The Primal had screamed its last, and dissappeared in burst of black aether smoke, leaving a strange silence lingering in the city, broken only by the sounds of troops rushing to the area.

No one was quite sure what to do, or how to react.

Most had never seen an Eikon before, or ever expected to. Those aether greedy false Gods were the work of the delusional beast tribes. They had no place in such an advanced, learned city as Garlemald.

Cid jumped down from the Reaper he had ridden in on, vaguely wondering if Nero was still alive to apologize to for having sacrificed the Red Baron to get the Allagans weapon firing.

Given Nero's penchant for Allagans technology Cid actually had not been surprised by the fact that the Nero's personal Reaper had been able to interface with the weapon with relative ease. A quick reprogram on the fly, nothing Cid was incapable of, was all it had taken.

Behind him one of Legionarius that were converging on the location gave a low whistle at the state of the palace.

“Ain’t much going to have survived that.” the Roegadyn was muttering.

Cid felt his heart twisted queerly in his chest but he shoved it down. Dainty was alive, there was to be no question, or doubt, for even a second. She had felled the Primal, therefore, she had to be alive.

Gaius and the Tribuni were the bigger concern.

“Minister Garlond, sir!”

A cohort of soldiers, led by a Centurion approached him. “Ought we go in?”

Cid looked around, commanding the army was something best done by a Tribunus laticlavius or similar rank but all those with a Sas or Tol title had been in the palace when the Primal erupted forth. No doubt by design to leave the army leaderless and in disarray and liable to stand behind the first person capable of giving it sensible sounding orders.

Cid's blue eyes hit on an injured soldier being carried from the rubble. He was an Engineer, not a soldier but trying to minimize the loss of life seemed obvious and logical.

“We need anyone with medical training here as soon as possible, put the spectators to work if they don’t get out of the way.”

“Sir! What of the Emperor, Sir? Should we not be searching for our Lord Gaius?”

“Getting the injured, ALL of them, not just the high rankings ones, to safety is the only priority right now.” Cid snapped.

“Sir!” He saluted sharply, and ran off to relay this order to the other troops.

A small sliver of pale lilac appeared from within the dust and smoke. A larger splash of white beside it.

Without hesitation Cid ran into the obscuring smoke, pulling his shirt over his mouth and nose to prevent from choking.

Dainty, her pretty gown ripped to shreds and Nero’s massive axe on her back was carrying the unconscious Gaius across her shoulders.

In less frantic times Cid would have been amused by the image, the tiny Dainty fully carrying Gaius, who was almost twice her size in every direction with all his armor and finery on. Unfortunately the fact that she was smeared with Gaius' blood from doing so took any amusement out of the situation.

Livia was beside Dainty, gut shot and bleeding heavily. One hand was pressing against her stomach, trying to staunch some of the bleeding, the other gripping part of the giant axe on Dainty's back to be guided out. Livia was so weak from blood loss she could barely see straight.

“Dainty!” Cid ran to her, but quickly ascertained that Livia was the higher priority. “Hold tight, Liv.”

Livia looked fit to collapse, Dainty mainly just looked annoyed.

Livia gave a low keen of pain to be lifted into the Reaper by Cid but otherwise didn't protest, shuffling forwards as best she could so that Dainty and Cid could load Gaius in with her.

Cid was relieved to see that Gaius was still breathing.

“Get them out of here, quickly, before anyone sees what state Gaius is in and it sets off the population into panic.” Danity ordered, her tone brooking no opposition.

“Mine is closer than the Summer villa, and more private.” Cid nodded, now was not to the time for anyone to get the faintest inkling that the Throne was ripe for the taking. A second war of succession would cripple Garlemald right now.

“I can make it to the compound. Get a medicus and meet us there.” Livia gritted out between her teeth, curling her hands around the controls of the reaper. Her head was swimming but she refused to falter until she was certain Gaius was safe.

“On it. The Reaper knows the gate code.” Cid agreed and Livia instantly set the Reaper into a run.

Dainty’s small hand touched Cid’s arm for his attention, and when he looked at her she offered softly;

“Nero and Rihtahtyn were alive when I last saw them. I am going back in for them.”

“Is that wise?” Cid asked looked at the broken, smoking ruins of the palace. What hadn’t fallen when the Primal had manifested had been shaken off its foundation by the blast he had put through its heart and the second that had been deflected. It could collapse fully at any moment.

“Don’t worry for me. The Primal is dead, and don't think me ungrateful for that blast, either. I know you've no taste for firing weapons.” 

“Panic firing it seemed the least I could do.” Cid admitted. 

Dainty yanked him into a kiss;

“I will be fine. Worry for those without the blessing of light. The poor men and women who got tempered.”

“Is there nothing that can be done for them?” Cid asked, understanding at once the truth of her words.

“Death is a mercy now.” Dainty sighed before her mouth set into a firm, white line. “Leave them for me if the soldiers can’t stomach it. They won’t be the first thralls I’ve had to put to the blade.”

Cid flinched and Dainty turned away. 

She wasn’t sure if it was disgust at Primals, and what they did to innocent minds or disgust at her methods of dealing with their worshipers but she didn’t want to find out. There were others still in the rubble that she could save and she had every intention of doing so.

Without any true idea of her abilities Nero had given up his own, superior, weapon leaving him vulnerable.

That on its own would have motivated Dainty to see retrieving him, or his corpse to its completion.

Seeing Nero protect Gaius so loyally had impressed her, and given her a new appreciation for the blond Garlean’s place in Garlemald.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it was a bit jumpy in places. I'm not good at writing action sequences so I just didn't try.


	10. Maybe I'm the Missing Piece

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the aftermath of the Primal attack Dainty learns that one or two people survived the massacre at Ul'Dah.

“He sleeps so unnaturally.” Livia san Junius fretted.

Dressed in one of Dainty’s white nightgowns, her midsection heavily bandaged, she sat on the edge of the bed that Gaius zos Baelsar had been laid out upon.

His armor had been removed and a trusted Pilori Medicus of the XIVth had provided what healing she could although Gaius neither woke, nor stirred for the effort. Livia and Nero had also been seen by the Medicus before she had returned to the closest hospital to see to her compatriots.

Livia had been cautioned to remain calm lest she reopen all the wounds sewn closed with magic. She held one of Gaius hands gently, trying not to jitter with anxiousness.

Nero had yet to wake, and likely would remain in a healing sleep a while yet according to the Medicus.

“Perhaps it is for a mercy.” Rihtahtyn mused, earning him a dire glare from Livia. He had gotten lucky, escaping with only a few cuts and bruises, most of which occurred not when the Primal emerged but when he and Nero fell through the floor after Cid had fired the Allagans weapon and the ceiling came down. “We cannot know if Gaius were tempered or not, Livia.”

“No. He was unconscious when the first wave struck and Dainty shielded us for the second.” Livia stated with absolute certainty, then winced, a hand flying to the wound at her stomach. “How can you temper a mind that isn’t there?”

“You should not even be out of your own bed.” Cid scolded although there was no true malice to it. He understood how badly she craved the time and attention of the man that had been a Father figure to them both.

“I’m not leaving him!” Livia declared, a repeat of what she had stated when Dainty told her to run.

“Can you not suggest something helpful?” Rihtahtyn muttered, looking at Dainty. “You seem to have some expertise in Eikons… whoever the Hells you are.”

It was Dainty that had pulled him and Nero from the rubble. The red clad Nero, lapsed into unconsciousness by then, had been dead weight on Rihtahtyn's shoulders but even that had seemed no issue for the slender Au’Ra. By the look of her Rihtahtyn figured she should not have had the strength to accomplish such a task, nor should she have been even able to lift Nero’s axe, let alone use it to bring down an Eikon.

Even practically attired in a camisole and a pair of Cid's sleep pants, her pale hair twirled up into a sensible bun, she looked every inch the gentle-born, reserved young woman they had all mistaken her to be.

Cid had ordered all the staff quarters on the Estates thrown open and turned into a makeshift infirmary for the Palace staff, leaving the Hospitals free for the soldiers and the most critically injured.

Gaius, and the Tribuni, however, had been brought inside the house itself to keep them away from prying eyes.

Those that had been tempered had been also been brought into the house, and sequestered in the ballroom to be dealt with later.

Dainty had been moving among the wounded, dispensing food and water and helping to bandage wounds until a medicus or healer could attend to those that needed it until Cid had called her inside to take a look at Gaius.

“Being capable of killing them hardly makes me an expert.” Dainty shrugged, then saw Cid’s hopeful expression as he looked at her. A little pang of sympathy for him tugged at her heart. Gaius was his friend, and surrogate Father for all that the man was the Emperor. She was certainly not immune to the look of pain in Cid’s pale blue eyes and desperately wished she had something more useful to say. For his sake. “What I wouldn’t give for Urianger, or Alphinaud to be here right now.”

“Alphinaud Leveilleur?” Rihtahtyn questioned, recognizing the name as one of the murdered Scions of the Seventh Dawn. “Louisoix's grandchild?”

“Yes.”

“The Frumentari reported Alisaie Leveilleur, sister to Alphinaud Leveilleur had been arrested in Limsa Lominsa for her part in the Ul’Dah Uprising. I didn’t think much of it until just now.” Rihtahtyn explained.

“Arrested? She wasn’t even bloody there!” Dainty snarled, curling her hands into fists. This was no doubt a ploy by the city states in an attempt to draw her and any other Scions that may have survived out of hiding. “Merlwyb. That white skinned, two faced, back stabbing, cunt coblyn.”

The City States had been growing desperate to track her before she ever departed Ishgard for Garlean shores but to arrest an innocent was going a malm too far.

“That would make you the Scions famed Eikon slayer.” Rihtahtyn realized, his suspicions to her identity confirmed. “Seven Hells.”

Gaius had always favoured Cid, that could not be denied, but even still, the fact that the man had managed to arrange a wife of that magnitude for the white haired Engineer seemed excessive.

“Would this Alisaie be helpful?” Livia snapped, her sole focus was Gaius’ recovery. Except in the context of that endeavor, she honestly couldn’t have cared less about Dainty’s true identity.

“More helpful than me. Alisaie is a Sharlayan trained scholar.” Dainty had learned to drink before she had learned to read but she felt not the need to divulge that information.

“Can your network extract her from Limsa?” Cid asked Rihtahtyn. The Roegadyn had assumed command of the Frumentarium contingent currently stationed in Eorzea when Gaius took power and although they had often been overlooked in usefulness by Gaius but it may have just proven the boon they needed.

“Without a doubt.” Rihtahtyn agreed.

“Would that not risk of losing operatives that have been in the field, unmasked, for decades?” Dainty questioned. If Gaius is already gone then the whole effort will have been for nothing and Dainty judged that she could get into Limsa, snatch Alisaie, and fight her way out again far easier.

She was already a wanted woman, the effort would cost nothing but the cernuleum needed to transport her to Limsa and back again.

This earned a low, indignant growl from Livia;

“ _How dare you._ ” The blonde woman hissed. “This is your Emperor! How dare you think of personal cost at a time like this! Whilst ever there is a chance we must do all we can!

Dainty quirked an eyebrow at Livia. Gaius wasn't her Emperor, any efforts she took to restore him were because it would make Cid happy and if anyone thought she would actually leave Alisaie in chains they had another thing coming.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Calm down, Livia.” Cid urged, seeing the woman was getting worked up and had started bleeding again. “We have time. Not a lot, before people start to question where the Emperor is, I grant you but I can stall the worst of it at least a week.”

“The Frumentari can watch, and wait. I will give the order to snatch the girl the second it presents itself. Should Gaius wake and it be unnecessary you may consider her restoration to you my sincerest thank you for what you have done for us.” Rihtahtyn told Dainty.

Livia relaxed at that, perceiving Cid and Rihtahtyn both to be right. People would not question Cid, the Emperor's surrogate son, if he stated that Gaius was at the Garlond Estates, recuperating well and Dainty deserved their gratitude above all else.

“I have not thanked you for carrying Gaius from the rubble, or lending me your shoulder to guide me. I apologize. Please know I am in your debt, Dainty cen Garlond.” Livia told the Au'Ra who gave a small nod.

Dainty's purple and orange eyes strayed to Cid, he was too worried for Gaius, hovering by the elder Garlean's bedside, to echo Livia or Rihtahtyn's sentiments and Dainty did not blame him.

“Have your men look to the shadows.” Dainty suggested to Rihtahtyn. “Yugiri did not survive Ul'Dah but some of her Shinobi may have. Aimless, and without a clear leader they should respond well if your men imply that Gaius will free Doma in gratitude for their assistance in snatching Alisaie.”

“You speak subterfuge like a true master, Dainty.”

“Live in Ishgard for any length of time and so will you.” Dainty snorted, not setting much store by the compliment.

 

“We got lucky.” Rihtahtyn informed the Au’Ra as the massive Garlean airship came into dock. An urgent communication from the Frumentari to meet them at the southern airship landing had drawn not just Rihtahtyn but Cid and Dainty from the compound.

Dainty, doing her best to let people mistake her as little more than “Cid nan Garlond’s Eorzean wife” wore a pretty, floating chiffon ensemble that bared her midriff, shoulders and arms.

A matching, custom made parasol kept her from being burned by the Spring sunshine as she waited at the airship landing.

Anyone looking at her would not believe, for a moment, the rumor that she had felled the Eikon that Varis had summoned in the nations heart. She looked every inch a spoiled society wife who cared for little more than keeping her pale skin pale and unblemished.

It had been less than 24 hours but Rihtahtyn’s network had borne plentiful fruit. One Lalafellian stow away, one Elezen teenager and three Hyur shinobi.

Tataru Taru, her pink dress dirty, and ripped from sleeping rough was herded down the gang way by two armor clad legionaries as Rihtahtyn walked onto the ship to debrief with his men. Tataru clutched her hat in her hands nervously, eyes wide and scared.

Tataru, born to safety by Biggs and Wedge, had been enroute to rendezvous with Alisaie when the Yellow Jackets had arrested her. The Lalafel had been keeping tabs on the teenager ever since, even sleeping under her cell window behind a box of crates if she had to. When she had seen Alisaie being loaded onto a Garlean airship Tataru had attempted to creep onto the airship, although had been quickly spotted and apprehended by Rihtahtyn's men. Fortunately the shinobi recognized her well enough to convince the Frumentari that Dainty would want Tataru brought to Garlemald alongside Alisaie.

Tataru’s eyes darted left and right, sweeping over Dainty, and the tall, white haired man beside her at first before suddenly perceiving what she had seen.

“D…Dainty!?” Tataru stuttered, forgetting her fear and fully running to the Au’Ra.

“Tataru!” Dainty bent instantly, sweeping her into a tight hug, ignoring that doing so might risk staining her expensive attire.

“You’re alive!” the Lalafel clung to Dainty, bursting into relieved, tears. 

Everything was strange, and terrifying but if Dainty was there it would be alright.

That was what Minfilia had always believed and Tataru had yet to see evidence that stood to the contrary. For half an ilm Tataru thought she must be dreaming again. Tataru had never seen Dainty hug anyone willingly before, not even Yda, and there had been no word about Dainty in so long. 

Most of Eorzea was starting to think her dead, no matter what the City-States claimed but here she was, hale and hearty.

“And so are you.” Dainty replied fondly, giving Tataru one last squeeze before standing up. Tataru wiped her eyes on the back of her hand, sniffling and assessing the Au’Ra’s pretty clothing and pearl woven hair.

“What in the Seven Hells are you doing in Garlemald dressed like a Costa del Sol dancing girl?”

Cid burst out laughing at the Lalafell’s cutting assessment of Dainty’s fashion sense.

“It’s a long story and …oh!” Dainty’s smile instantly turned into a glare as Rihtahtyn joined them. The unconscious Alisaie carried gently in his arms. Her face was gaunt, and bruised and the wounds peaking from beneath the ripped and torn clothing betrayed she had been beaten.

Dainty's eyes burned, silently demanding an explanation as 3 cowed looking Shinobi followed at Rihtahtyn's heels.

“Stand down, Dainty. The girl was unconscious when they got to her.” Rihtahtyn swore.

“He speaks true.” One of the Shinobi spoke. “We made it appear that we were kidnapping Alisaie, and the “Yellowjackets” apprehended us but all chains were removed the moment we came on board.”

“They tortured her, Dainty.” Tataru said, her voice broken, and betrayed. “They know she knows where Alphinaud is but she wouldn’t tell them.”

“Alphinaud is dead. I saw him take a fatal blow with my own eyes. And Yugiri take the same when she tried to help him.” Dainty replied.

“No my Lady. Yugiri’s powders stemmed enough of the bleeding for Lord Alphinaud to survive. Some of our member smuggled him to Garlean occupied Doma.” Another Shinobi explained.

“Are you sure?” Dainty's voice left as a whisper. If Alphinaud lived maybe so too had some of the others.

“Its true, Dainty. We buried so many. Minfilia, Y'Shtola and Thancred. Papalymo and Yda. But not Alphinaud.” Tataru confirmed.

Dainty touched shaking fingers to Alisaie's face. 

Her eyes were blackened, her lips split open.

“I will kill Merlwyb myself for this travesty.” Dainty vowed darkly. She would not soon forget that they tortured an innocent child.

“Let’s get Alisaie tended to first, and a hot bath for your friend here?” Cid suggested. 

He wasn't sure who Merlwyb was but given all he had seen of Dainty's powers and violence so far he wouldn't have wanted to be in that woman's shoes when Dainty caught up with her.

“You’re right. Cutting out Merlwyb’s black heart is a pleasure best saved for less tortuous times.” Dainty looked to the Shinobi. “Find Alphinaud and bring him here, in secret and with all possible haste. If he resists, tell him Dainty says it’s not a request. He will know I mean it.”

The three shinobi exchanged glances, and the one who had spoken first nodded.

“For Doma.”

“For Doma.” Dainty agreed and they disappeared back onto the ship to be transported by the Frumentari, Rihtahtyn giving them quick orders to assist the Shinobi in this endeavor however they could.

“Where am I?” Alisaie asked groggily from Rihtahtyn’s arms as the group began to move from the airship landing towards the waiting Magitek reapers.

“Safe, Alisaie. Be easy.”

 

 

Being covertly smuggled into Garlemald at Dainty's insistence had not surprised Alphinaud, who had instantly assumed she had made contact with some form of common-man resistance within the massive City.

His shock at finding her as Dainty cen Garlond, and his sister and Tataru with her, had been quickly shoved aside at the urgency of the situation.

Joyous reunions could wait, especially when Dainty stated she believed the Ascians were behind all of this, attempting to bring Garlemald low before it could start to beneficially influence matters in Eorzea.

“… and that’s the long and short of it.” Dainty finished, a matched pair of shocked Elezen faces staring at her. They had each been furnished with bowls of nourishing soup and restorative tea as Dainty explained how it came to be that they found her in Garlemald, holding up the business end of a Primal attack. “I personally threw Nidhogg’s eyes into the void below Foundation. For Varis to have acquired them required Ascian interference. If the Ascians are moving against Gaius and Garlemald, rather than attempting to influence it to greater heights as they have in the past then the only explanation can be that Garlemald is swinging towards being a force of light. Another war of succession could destroy all that Gaius has accomplished these 3 years past in a matter of months.”

“One can assume that whoever managed the wrest control of the Throne would instantly turn to warfare once more to get resources for Garlemald. The subjugated lands would be pressed even harder, and the desperation to acquire more lands would lead to even more brutal behaviors.” Alphinaud agreed, very clearly seeing the ripple effect of Gaius zos Baelsar not being on the Throne.

Had the Ascians managed it, it would have been a masterful stroke of destruction.

“This is not a difficult choice.” Alisaie observed directly, her words carefully chosen to aggravate her wounds the least. “The enemy of my enemy and all that. Besides, Eorzea is not safe for us. We dare not risk bringing the City-States attention to Sharlayan's door. If Garlemald will offer us sanctuary then let us do all we can for its Emperor, gladly!”

A medicus had seen to the worst of her injuries although the bruises would need time to clear from her pale skin.

“Assuming we can do anything for Lord Gaius.” Alphinaud grimaced. “I, at least, have seen an unconscious person get tempered. It is, unfortunately, entirely possible.”

“No. No! I promised him we would be alright!” Livia cupped Gaius unconscious face, as if she could will him into health by sheer force of her anguish. “I promised him.”

“Fuck. That’s it then, isn't it?” Rihtahtyn looked around with the slow dawning realization that it was all for nothing. His eyes settled on Cid. “We could try stand behind Cid as the new Emperor, I suppose, and hope no one puts up a fight over it.”

Cid made a startled noise of protest.

“Not quite.” Alphinaud replied, a hand touched to his lips, mind a whirl. “If you had asked me this a week ago, I would have agreed with you but Dainty said something that is making me wonder. You said Varis bragged about using his sons research on becoming a “resonant” to bind and control the primal that he summoned, and mocked you for not knowing how to use your Echo similarly, right?”

Dainty nodded.

“It follows then that Varis got an Echo from _somewhere_ as we know he was not one of Hydalen's Chosen. If we could do the same for Gaius, just a little, just enough to grant him a retroactive immunity to the tempering, we may be able to prevent his descent into madness.”

“You’re suggesting attempting to shove a bit of Dainty’s echo into Gaius before he wakes up.” Alisaie summarized.

“The fact that he is still unconscious gives us this sliver of opportunity. Livia sas Junius is sort of right. You can’t fully temper a mind that isn’t fully there. Unfortunately the tempering will kick in once the mind is fully there. I saw it once, a poor fellow who was half mad. The tempering cruelly both healed his mind and enslaved it at the same time. Failing more time to research, I believe that’s the best option we’ve got.”

“Then that is what we will do.” Livia stated firmly, her eyes daring anyone to challenge her.

Alphinaud turned to ask Dainty if she would be alright with this, and found Cid was already doing it.

The young Elezen quirked an amused eyebrow at the white haired Garlean. Cid clearly took his responsibility as Dainty’s husband seriously, arranged marriage or not.

“Dainty? At the end of the day, the final say is yours.” Cid questioned. “Are you okay with this?”

Dainty drew in a breath, looking into Cid’s very blue eyes. It was one thing to protect Cid, the person who had saved so many lives already by turning Garlemald’s attention away from Eorzea, by marrying him. It was another to empower Garlemald’s Emperor via her own Echo, even a little bit. Although she had told the Twins she believed the Ascians were plotting against Gaius to restore Garlemald to its brutal, war faring ways she had kept her belief that Hydaelyn had sent her there specifically to herself.

This was clearly why she was here but was she supposed to save Gaius, or was she supposed to help Cid ascend to the throne?

It was Rihtahtyn’s comment about standing behind the Engineer and hoping there wasn’t a fight that had made her question. Although Cid had always been very clear that he had no desire to rule, or political aspirations she also knew that Cid would do it if he believed it was the best way to keep bloodshed to a minimum. 

With no way of communicating with the Mother Crystal before Hydaelyn herself willed it Dainty could do nothing more make a choice, and make peace with that decision.

 _I have been happy here, just Cid and I. I have no desire for a royal life, a life that is not my own and neither does Cid. Hydaelyn, if I am making the wrong choice, forgive me but I am a selfish Au’Ra and I will not share Cid if I do not have to._ – Dainty decided.

“The path is clear. We must save Gaius and if it is your hands at the controls I have nothing to fear.” Dainty replied, giving him a sweet smile. As her husband she had already trusted him with her body and knew he would not abuse it.

“Of course. That responsibility both should and will be mine alone.” Cid promised. As the Minister for Science and Innovation he had the utmost authority when it came to technology and its use within Garlemald, much to Nero’s chargrin.

She reached to cup his face with her hands, pressing her mouth against his softly, surprising Cid who didn’t expect her to be affectionate in front of her Eorzean friends.

He broke away from her quickly, seemingly embarrassed as Livia huffed at them, rolling her eyes.

“You can do that later! Let us begin! Right now!”

 

“Do you understand any of this?” Rihtahtyn asked Cid, who was pouring over the notes and diagrams and machines that had formerly belonged to Aulus mal Asina, trying make heads or tails of what he was looking at.

Rihtahtyn had been more than happy to arrest the craven scientist for his part in empowering Varis to control a primal.

Treason was not taken lightly in Garlemald, even if Aulus claimed he had no loyalty to Varis; he merely wanted to test his theory. Rihtahtyn had punched him in the mouth to shut him up and handed him off to be hauled to gaol by a squadron of cohorts.

“Enough for the situation. More than I'd like to.” Cid murmured, uncomfortable by the fact that he could follow Aulus’ notes and directions. The Scientists theorums and instructions were not beyond his ability, although Cid would never ever think to turn his mind to so gruesome as task as aether extraction.

The laboratory was also laid out in such a way to be obvious how it worked.  
A medical table in the center that Gaius was placed upon. A silver pod next to it with various tubes and wires leading to an array that arched over Gaius.

Several other pods, which proved to be empty surrounded the silver one on all sides, thick cables that looked like veins feeding from them to the silver pod.

Alphinaud watched Cid strapped Dainty gently onto the silver pod.

“A thought occurs...” Alphinaud touched a hand to his lip “... the number of people whom possess the Echo is minuscule and cut by a quarter during the Ul'Dah Uprising. From whom did Varis get his?”

“Who occupied this pod before Dainty did?” Alisaie agreed, meeting her brothers eyes. They knew only a handful of people blessed with the Echo and neither liked the idea that Krile or Arenvald had been unknowingly kidnapped by Garlean forces.

“I don't know. But I will find out.” Rihtahtyn vowed.

He was deeply uncomfortable with the fact that Varis had managed to bring this into the city without anyone knowing. They all knew Zenos and his pet scientist were playing with aether manipulation in Ala Mhigo but whilst-ever it stayed there none had felt the need to do much about it.

Cid had ascertained both how to control the device and that he understood what would occur. Leaving little more to be done than to ensure Dainty was comfortable.

“You know damn well you can strap me down tighter than that.” Dainty smirked at Cid, who cast a guilty look towards the Leveilleurs.

“You pick the worst times to start flirting.” Cid muttered, nothing playful about his scolding tone and Dainty pouted.

“Come now, husband, please don’t tell you see no humor in this situation, given what we got up to 5 moons ago.” she tried again, trying to cover her trepidation of what was about to occur with humor. A wrestling play fight had occurred over the last slice of banana pie, Cid had tried his damndest to pin her down, only to end up with Dainty sitting on him, enjoying her slice of pie with a smirk.

“Dainty! Not in front of the kids.” Cid frowned.

Alisaie for her part giggled into her hand as Alphinaud raised his eyes skyward pretending he didn’t just hear that exchange.

Cid shut the door on the steel medical bay, entombing Dainty inside and leaving Alphinaud’s insides twisting. Despite it being his idea he was hardly comfortable with it, and was grateful that Livia had had to remain behind due to her injuries and Nero was still comatose.

Dainty clearly trusted Cid but Alphinaud was wary and glad that they were not outnumbered, even if they were severely outclassed by Rihtahtyn alone.

“I’ve set everything on the lowest possible setting and installed my own kill switch. If anything looks like it’s not proceeding as it should, a single command will shut everything down.” Cid explained to the nervous looking Alphinaud, who nodded to give his approval, even though Cid hardly needed it. Cid looked back to the controls. “Well, here we go.”

A couple button pushes and a low whirr, and hum filled the room. The pod containing Dainty glowed with a blue pulse, then darkened again as whatever had flowed out of it travelled up the coiled wires, through a modified cernuleum converter and into the tank on the device above the unconscious Gaius.

Another button push and a thin beam of weak blue light was emitted from the array shaped device.

 

 

_Where am I?_

Gaius looked around for some context but there was nothing above, nor below but black void. He was floating in a sea of nothing.

_To be honest, I’m not really sure. I’m usually high as Hell with battle fever when Hydaelyn drags me up here._

A female figure appeared before him, small and glowing with aether so strongly he couldn’t pick out her facial features. Her hair was long to the ground and wings and a halo of glowing aether obscured most of her. He thought he perceived a tail behind her.

_Dainty?_

_Yes._

Gaius realized he was looking at, for wont of a better term, her soul.  
Resplendent, dazzling and pulsing with power.

His own seemed dull and small by comparison.

_What happened? The last thing I remember was burning and pain._

_You were tempered._

_No! Not that! Anything but that living death!_

_Cid and the twins are trying to fix it by putting some of my Echo into you. The fact that your mind is here, in the aetherial sea with mine, suggests that it’s working._

_Cid is fine?_

Dainty was amused to see Gaius' aether glowed a little brighter for the mention of Cid's name.

_He is. My echo guided us outside the palace before everything broke down. Livia I was able to guide from the palace at the same time I drew you from its ashes. She shielded you with her own body._

_Then she too is safe. Good._

His aether burned brighter yet for the mention of Livia's name although he seemed to give no consequence to her words of Livia protecting him, seemingly taking it entirely for granted. Dainty mentally cataloged that for later, finding it exceedingly interesting indeed.

She held up a hand gracefully, one small mote of light on her palm.

_My power comes from the Mother Crystal. By her blessing alone am I all that you see. If you accept this, you must accept Her Light, and protect it always. For if she falls, we fall._

Gaius considered this, and found it no different than his goals had ever been.  
A unified, harmonious star with no false Gods to bleed the land of aether.

He raised a hand to accept the mote of light, letting it soak into his skin.  
The effect was immediate.

All around him stars winked into existence and glowing orbs of blue aetherial light traveling through the star scape like brilliant, beautiful shooting stars.

Dainty had fundamentally altered his aether, granting him the tiniest portion of her own power, and the ability to manipulate his own personal aether to a small degree.

_Everything is fading out._

He struggled against it, then noted that Dainty seemed to be fading too but was accepting of this.

_Yep, enjoy your nap._

 

“Dainty?! Dainty!”

She woke up with a start and promptly punched one of the white crowned faces hovering over her anxiously.

“Ow! DAMMi Dain'y!!” Alphinaud clutched at his now bleeding nose as Alisaie grabbed a handful of gauze and held it to her brothers face.

Dainty blinked a couple times, then looked up at Cid and bit her lip.

“Oops. Told you you should have strapped me down tighter.” Dainty grinned, she had worked one arm loose her bonds in her sleep some point.

“We should have known that would happen.” Cid gave a bark of laughter, despite his earlier coolness.

“How long was I out?” Dainty asked as he undid the rest of the straps.

“A couple minutes, not long.”

Cid reached to lift her out of the machine and set her on her feet before releasing her quickly. Dainty would have liked to have moved into his arms, wanting to be thanked and kissed but she respected that Cid seemed to be uncomfortable with public displays of affection at the moment. They had not seemed to bother him in the past so she chalked it up to the twins’ presence and anxiety at the situation.

Dainty sauntered over to where Gaius was just starting to come around, much to Rihtahtyn’s delight;

“My Lord?”

“Never again.” Gaius vowed, holding a hand to his head and looking at his loyal Tribunus. “Never again will an Eikon be suffered to exist or be allowed to temper another being on this Star.”

“Full glad I am to know you mean to address the problem that Eikons are merely symptom of.” Dainty observed, turning Gaius’ head towards her.

Her eyes were sharp.

If his mind turned to genocide of the beast tribes to prevent them raising their Primals she would gladly finish what Varis started. Dainty was aware that throwing her not insignificant weight behind Gaius had been a risk but she could not ignore that his goals best aligned with her own as Hydaelyns Chosen.

That did not make her loyal, however.

“How do you mean?”

“Every time a Primal is summoned, at its core, you find an Ascian stirring up trouble. I’ve been chasing down and eliminating Primals all my life, Gaius. Until we figure out how to permanently end the instigators of all this, all efforts are in vain. Wiping out the beast tribes won’t help, even if you did the Asicans would merely teach someone else how to do perform the ritual, as you just witnessed with your own eyes. You can hardly call Varis yea Galvus a beastman.”

Gaius found he had no argument for her words. The history of the star was riddled with stories of Ascian interference, going back even beyond the Allagans.

It were they that had taught the first inhabitants of their world how to summon Primals. Each Primal summoned draining the world of aether and weakening Hydaelyn.

“A world without Ascian interference.” Gaius mused. “Now that would be a thing to behold.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Told you the twins were going to show up. Your regular scheduled goofiness with resume shortly.


	11. Bad at Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cid clearly learned his swottiness from Gaius.  
> You know something has gone wrong when he's more talkative to Nero than his wife.

“Nero, I apologize, I was going to try and fix her if you didn’t wake, I swear I was.”

Cid’s words did nothing to assuage the noise of strangled horror Nero came out with to see what remained of his beloved Red Baron. Cid had had the Reaper transported from the Alagans weapon to the compound so that it would be there when Nero woke.

Livia’s White Devil had yet to be located in the rubble.

Nero hobbled towards the wreck as fast as he could, still baring wounds and limping on his left side but his aches and pains, of which there were many, were utterly forgotten at the state of his Red Baron.

“No!” Nero whimpered, drawing close to his beloved Reaper but unable to touch her at the last, looking at the battered shell of the red magitek reaper. “What did you do?!”

“I sort of had to use her to power the Allagans weapon that put a hole through that Eikon.” Cid admitted.

“You shouldn’t have even be able to control her!” Nero snarled at Cid, fully glaring at the other Garlean. He had programmed the Red Baron to respond to him alone.

“Yes, I jerry rigged the cernuleum conversion units directly into the power generator to bypass your security protocols.” Cid admitted. “I did try and put it back after!”

Nero made a horrified noise, and clutched at his heart;

“That shouldn’t even be possible! Her security protocols are tied directly to the ADS core guidance system!”

“An ADS core? Well that’s a bloody stupid thing to do, Nero! No wonder I couldn’t put her back to normal. She was never normal to begin with!”

Dainty giggled into her coffee as Nero and Cid started to argue over the state of the Red Baron and the validity of harvesting internal circuitry from Alagans guidance modules.

Dressed in one of her favorite pale green dresses, her curly mint green hair dressed with flowers and pearls, she was having lunch with Alisaie and Tataru on the lawn. Seated at a table near them, an assortment of documents laid out before him, the restored Gaius zos Baelsar was attempting to turn his mind to the Ascian problem that Dainty had set before him.

Livia and Rihtahtyn sat at the table with him, in attendance of him as always. Livia’s wounds meant that it would be a while yet before she could re-don her armor, which was just as well as it was in no fit state to be worn and Dainty had given her a pretty wrap style dress to wear.

Gaius found himself noticing the way Livia’s blonde hair was spilling prettily around her shoulders. She rarely wore it loose but had been blessed with a perfect shade of Garlean platinum blonde the fully glowed in the sunshine. Ash blonde had nothing to do with Livia sas Junius.

Her constant glances in Gaius’ direction gave him a sick feeling in his gut, however.

He considered her his family, one of his most trusted soldiers and valued member of his Tribuni but she considered him something more than the man who raised her, to Gaius' disquiet.

“Do you want to tell them, or should I?” Alisaie asked Dainty.

The second Nero had said there was an ADS core in the Red Baron she and Dainty had realized the problem.

“Let me.” Dainty rose walking over to where the inert Red Baron lay in the grass. She ignored the arguing Garleans and instead knelt down in front of the Red Baron.

ADS had been created by the Alagans, who were able to manipulate aether, while Garlean's could not leading them to convert everything to running on ceruleum.

Clearly the conversion had not been fully completed, unknown to Nero. It was not hard to deduce that, as Nero rode the Red Baron almost constantly, coupled with how long he had had it, the ADS core had been drawing on Nero’s own aether for a decade or more.The Allagans weapon must have drained the core of every ilm of its stored aether, which neither Cid nor Nero could detect, let alone correct.

No doubt such a problem would never even occur to them.

Dainty figured a quick infusion of her own aether, however, especially after Cid had put everything back to the way it was, should do the trick nicely.

Dainty leaned forwards and pressed her mouth to the Red Baron’s mechanical snout, letting her lips linger on the cool metal in a sweet kiss.

She felt the pull on her aether and put her hands on either side of its face to speed the transfer.

“Thank you for saving us, good girl.” she purred softly to the Reaper.

Lights flared at the Red Barons’ eyes as it powered on, hydraulics making a pleasant hiss and a slight squeak as it unfolded itself out of its prone state and into a rider-ready position.

Dainty rose as it did, swinging herself up into the seat and lounging there with a smirk; “I don’t know about you two genius' but she seems just fine to me now that someone showed her a little gratitude!”

She knew how the reaper felt, Nero and Gaius had yet thanked her for saving their backsides and Cid was entirely to discombobulated with everything recall he own her a couple also. Dainty didn't mind, she couldn't imagine what having all these people in his house was doing to his head after so many years alone.

Not to mention the stress of Gaius almost dying.

Cid and Nero had stopped arguing to stare at her the second she had laid a kiss on the Red Baron and they exchanged confused looks now.

“I don’t know whether to be disturbed or aroused.” Nero muttered.

“One, that’s my wife, watch yer mouth.” Cid snorted. “Two …right?”

Dainty was laughing, refusing to climb down from the Red Baron so that Nero could climb up as Alphinaud joined them.

He had been given a simple Garlond Ironworks uniform to wear to disguise his identity although his healing magicks had been a great help the wounded Palace Staff that were convalescing on the expansive estate.

He took a seat beside his sister, who was glad to be borrowing one of Dainty’s dresses as the weather was warm and it meant that she did not have to wear an identical outfit to her twin. Everyone tactfully ignored the lattice work of bruises that marked her body from having been tortured.

“Pie?” Alisaie offered, as if it were the most normal thing in the world to be having a picnic in the heart of Garlemald, the Emperor sitting not 7 fulms away from them while the Warrior of Light was playfully refusing to let a high ranking Tribunus laticlavus coax her from the Magitek Reaper she lounged in.

“I feel as though I have been transported to another reality.” Alphinaud observed.

Alisaie handed him a cup of coffee;

“I said it afore. Eorzea wants to kill us. Garlemald wants us to kill Ascians, presumably. This is not a difficult choice.”

“We do appear to be safe here, Alphinaud.” Tataru said softly, casting a nervous glance towards Gaius’ back. She had been treated kindly so far but that didn’t necessarily mean that wouldn’t change, whether Dainty was there or not.

“Aye, we do.” Alphinaud agreed although he knew appearances could be deceiving. Certainly it was a more comfortable than sleeping rough, hidden away with the Doman Resistance in the House of the Fierce.

Alphinaud’s gut twisted with guilt suddenly.

Here he was, taking morning tea as if he had not a care in the world, when the Domans who had shielded him so faithfully were being strangled by the grip of the Imperial occupation.

Dainty seemed to believe Gaius honorable, and she had spoken of an alliance between Garlemald and Ishgard, not an occupation of Garlemald over Ishgard. Perhaps Gaius simply did not know what terror Yotsuyu and Zenos had inflicted upon Yanxia.

Or had not yet had a chance to address it.

Having fully stolen the throne from the Galvus line Alphinaud was aware that Gaius must have spent at least the 1st year of his ascension firming up his grip on power, and surrounding himself with a loyal court, such as his Tribuni and surrogate son.

The more he thought of it the more Alphinaud felt he understood Gaius’ actions and time-line.

Strategically it made sense to start with Ishgard, who was not allied with the other city-states, and was in fact wary of them. By pandering to their elitism, Gaius had won himself loyal allies on Eorzean soil without warfare.

Now that he had proof of his sincerity in seeking alliance, not assimilation, the Emperor could turn his attention to other independent states and, one by one, convince them life was better with Garlemald, than against Garlemald. Once Gaius had the majority, the others would fall in line and Garlemald would be free to influence each state as it saw fit.

It was chilling in its simplicity.

Requiring only time, and patience and a subtle hand it stood a fair chance of working where outright warfare and subjugation had not. There would be no resistance against Garlean “rule” as there would be no occupying force to rebel against. Nothing more than a pervasive influence upon the affairs of the states at large, and a silent threat of what happens to those that don’t ally with Garlemald.

 _A silken noose is still a noose._ – Alphinaud realized eyes straying to Gaius’ back once more and then flicking to Dainty. Nero had given up on coaxing and was attempting to order Cid to wrestle her out of the Red Baron as Dainty was laughing freely, clinging to its insides and making it clear she would not yield position on the mechanical beast. Cid was shaking his head at them, arms folded, refusing to get involved despite Nero's demands. – _Yet I cannot deny that influence can run both ways._

Without even meaning to she had established herself as an invaluable member of the Emperor’s court.

She had challenged Gaius’ statement on eliminating Eikons and had her word accepted as absolute by, unarguably, the most powerful man on the planet.

Gaius was already proving how seriously he took Dainty’s statement of needing to address the Ascian interference, and seemed willing to devote the immense might of the Garlean army to that noble cause.

Alphinaud rose, moving to approach the table where Gaius, Rihtahtyn and Livia sat.

“So, little Lordling, stopped casting daggers at my back, have you?” Gaius observed, looking at Alphinaud from the corner of his dark eyes and proving that he had been aware of the teenagers scrutiny the entire time.

Alphinaud started, then collected himself quickly and bowed.

“Forgive my impertinence, my Lord. Having been raised where Garlean Emperors are akin to boogeymen I find it difficult to reconcile so comfortably indulging in morning tea upon the lawn of one.”

“Boogeymen?” Gaius echoed, then laughed freely. Although he would not admit it the acquisition of the tiny sliver of Dainty’s echo had given him a content, and ever so slightly drunk feeling that had yet to wear off. Like indulging in two glasses of very fine wine, or waking from a lazy afternoon nap. “I have been called many things in my time but that is a first! And you are taking tea on Cid nan Garlond's lawn, not mine. Come, young one, join me. Which of the two of you are you?”

“Alphinaud, my Lord.”

“I perceive from Livia’s telling of it that it were your idea to rid me of the tempering when mine own thought to put me to the blade.” Gaius observed and held up a hand to calm Rihtahtyn when the Roegadyn gave a start. “Be easy, Rihtahtyn, I blame you not for it.”

“A wild gamble, sir, albeit one that bore fortuitous fruit.” Alphinaud agreed, sitting, slightly embarrassed that his feet did not touch the ground when he did but he could hardly be blamed for his age. It was not something he could control, after all.

“And now you wish to ask a favour of me.” Gaius informed Alphinaud, perceptive and eyes glittering with a hint of something sinister. “Don’t stand on ceremony, I urge you. Ask it freely.”

Alphinaud was not used to being caught off guard in such a manner, his every move guessed before he could make it, down even to the words he was about to utter before he could utter them. It occurred to him that he and Gaius were playing a similar game, but Gaius had fully 40 summers more experience in it.

“I…I was only thinking to ask, if your future plans, perhaps, included the liberation of Doma. If you feel amenable to sharing such thoughts with myself, of course. Having spent time there most recently I find the trials of her people on my mind. Had they not shielded me from my enemies, and brought me swiftly to Dainty’s side I should certainly not have been here to cast wild gambles after all.”

“Spoken like a true diplomat. Alphinaud, you have travelled Doma more recently than I. What do you think would happen if the Imperial Army were to withdraw in its totality? Do you believe Doma would survive the resulting power vacuum?”

“I can tell you plainly that it most certainly would not.” Alphinaud replied honestly. Most believed the last remaining member of the ruling family, Lord Hien, to be dead. The few that held hope he still lived knew not how to even begin searching for him.

Without a clear leader anarchy would descend, and swiftly, as everyone scrambled to grab what little resources remained for themselves.

Alphinaud wanted to free Yugiri’s home land, not destroy it but knew not how to accomplish it.

“To own the truth, I have given no real thought to the territories with which I bribed Zenos, nor do I intended to do so while ever Garlemald proper lays in the state we find it in.” Gaius gave a gesture to the Staff Quarters and the wounded there that Alphinaud had been helping tend to earlier. “However, a soldier always repays his debts. I therefore grant you full leave to think of Doma in my stead. I invite you to travel to Doma as my personal Ambassador, create a stratagem and timeline for the transition of Doma from an occupied territory to an allied but independent country and report back to me. If I find your plans satisfactory it will be carried out as presented.”

“…. you’re serious.”

“Rarely am I anything else, little Lordling.”

Alphinaud felt the weight of this offer settle on his shoulders and it took every inch of his willpower not to shake under the sudden strain of it. His mind whirled, at the sheer face of it it seemed an absolutely impossible task.

Garlean occupation of Doma had been brutal and bloody and continued to be so. Expecting peoples so traumatized to ally with their tormentors was wholly inconceivable. Yet Alphinaud could not deny that there was no better way of liberating Doma without continued bloodshed.

Gaius wanted to bring the troops home, to continue making good on the promises that had won him the throne. The Domans wanted the Garleans to leave. If Alphinaud could just manage to devise a method that benefited both then perhaps he could repay Yugiri and her people for the fact he still lived.

If he could just convince the Domans that Gaius zos Baelsar and Zenos yae Galvus were two very different breeds of Garlean and it was worth the risk to accept the olive branch being offered to them.

“Let me take Dainty. There are certain injustices within Doma that must be corrected afore they will believe a word Garlemald or any Ambassador it names says.”

“Dainty is free to come and go as she pleases. However I insist that all care is taken to ensure her true identity does not leak beyond the walls of the Garlond Estate and its surrounding compound.” Gaius cautioned Alphinaud. “See that you do not forget that a bounty rests on her head on Eorzean shores. And on your own.”

“Point taken.” Alphinaud considered this, and looked to where Dainty had finally been displaced from the Red Baron by way of Cid putting her over his shoulder as she cackled gleefully.

Cid released her quickly, however, setting her back on her feet as he had after the Echo transfer at the med bay and earning him a slightly disappointed look from Dainty. The subtle discomfort between the married couple gave Alphinaud an idea; “The Doman royal palace is spectacular and prettily situated on a lake of pure turquoise. Perhaps my Lord might grant Cid nan Garlond and his Ishgardian bride leave to take a belated honeymoon to the location?”

“An excellent idea.” Gaius looked at Cid. “That will get you out of the line of fire until we can learn if Varis had any allies in this mess. You will leave this evening.”

“I am fit to travel not, and I would very much like to stay and investigate from where Varis acquired his Echo.” Alisae stated, then remembered where she was, and to whom she spoke. “With your Grace's leave, of course. It is unfortunately very like a friend of ours has been harmed by Varis and if he, or she still lives, I am keen to know it.”

Gaius waved a lazy hand. The girl could do nothing more than turn up information that would be useful to him as well. She could have her head with the task, in his estimation.

“And I can offer my management skills, to ensure everything runs smoothly, here at least, while you are away, Ser.” Tataru offered Cid with a small curtsy. She was instantly fond of anyone that Dainty was fond of. “The Palace Staff convalescing here will not go without someone keeping an eye on them, even with Dainty gone.”

“To Doma then.” Cid gave an uncomfortable smile, not entirely pleased with this but unable to argue on any particular point.


	12. I Keep Holding On Without You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dainty meets Yotsuyu.... it goes well. (sarcasm)

Cid was still tentative about being sent to Doma so quickly after the Primal attack within Garlemald but Alphinaud had pointed out that the scheme benefited them across the board. Not only did it give him a chance to repay the Doman’s kindness in wake of the Ul’Dah Uprising, and keep Cid “out of the line of fire” it also removed Dainty from the city making it easier to disavow her part in putting the Primal down.

With her absent it was easier to persuade those who remembered seeing her running into the palace after the attack where mistaken when they had nothing to compare their memories to.

The cover story that she had been at the Garlond Estates and had helped tend to the wounded her husband sent there before all the bloodshed took its toll on her delicate, Ishgardian sensibilities and she had to be taken away to sunny, beautiful Doma to recover also allowed them to arrive in Doman with the Imperial Viceroy, Yotsuyu, none the wiser of their true intentions.

Dainty spent most of the flight curled into Cid’s side, napping on him while the man looked uncomfortable and, when she was deeply asleep enough not to notice, moved away from her.

Alphinaud wasn’t surprised, to his eyes it appeared that Dainty was clearly easier with the concept of an arranged marriage than Cid, and the Au’Ra had ever been in a rush.

It made perfect sense to him that she would repeatedly go to her new husband for affection, even though he had not yet fully grown comfortable with her doing so in the month and a bit they had been wed.

Having been noble born an arranged marriage was hardly a novel concept to Alphinaud, although the practice was rarely implemented in free thinking Sharlayan anymore. He knew of it more in the historical and cultural sense, as something that was occurred between the High Houses and was still common in some parts of Eorzea.

He certainly would never have expected Dainty, of all people, to have been part of one.

Doma castle came into view and Alphinaud took off his shoe to throw it at Dainty to wake her, knowing full well she tended to wake up swinging.   
His nose still hurt to the touch from being smacked in it by the Au'Ra the previous day.

Dainty sat up promptly, blinking in confusion, and then looking around for Cid.

Something that felt suspiciously like betrayal to see him gone tugged at her heart, he had never left her to wake up alone before and she struggled to think if she had done something that might have upset him.

His reluctance to kiss her before saving Gaius played heavily in her mind, as did the way he had pulled her out of the Red Baron and instantly released her, rather than let her loiter over his shoulder playfully as she might have expected.

Dainty had written the first two incidences off as insecurity on Cid’s part, or fear of looking poorly in front of her Eorzean friends but now she wondered if there was something else going on here.

 _He has barely looked at me since the Primal attack_ – Dainty realized, remembering swiftly the way he had looked away from her in disgust after she had spoken of dealing with the thralls.- _I thought him stressed and tried so hard to not press him for attention, yet Gaius lives and by my hand. Where is my appreciative husband? Why does this feel like he is actively avoiding me?_

Her thoughts were interrupted by Alphinaud retrieving his shoe, and the Dreadnaught coming in to land, signally their arrival. Cid quickly reappeared before the doors opened, offering Dainty his arm to escort her down the ramp, for which she was glad.

The cover story of her being taken to Doma for a late honeymoon by a concerned husband would not get far if said husband were not at her side.

“Where did you go?” Dainty asked softly, keeping her eyes low. The Dreadnaught and Palace both were full of troops who needed to buy her as nothing more than a society wife.

“One of the engines was making a ticking noise it shouldn’t. I couldn’t resist investigating.” Cid offered. “I meant to be back before you woke, I just got a little distracted. You know how I am with Magitek.”

She gave him a light smile that he returned.

It was a very plausible excuse, just as he might have had perfectly good excuses for his behavior earlier but something wasn’t sitting right with Dainty. Unfortunately, surrounded by Secutors and Laquiarus, she could do nothing to press to issue.

Yotsuyu, the Imperial Viceroy of Doma certainly swallowed the cover story without question, absolutely delighted to meet such a delicate doll of a being as "Lady Garlond."

She was politely civil to Alphinaud, who returned the favour in kind.

His life had been saved by people who stood against the horrors Yotsuyu had inflicted upon Doma.

He remembered being stabbed, an experience he doubted he would ever forget but everything after that Alphinaud knew only from being told what happened upon awaking in the House of the Fierce. 

Yugiri had applied powder to his wounds to stem the bleeding, and been cut down while distracted by her task. By pure luck she had fallen on top of him in just the right manner to disguise his shallow breathing.

In the confusion of Dainty’s vengeance none had noticed a small cadre of Shinobi removing Yuigiri’s corpse and Alphinaud from the Ul’Dah Royal Palace and smuggling them both back to Doma.

Yotsuyu’s constant dialogue of during the welcoming tea ceremony, in which she spent the entire time bragging about the pain she had inflicted upon the Domans, was enough to make Alphinaud queasy.

Fortunately for him most of Yotsuyu’s conversation was directed to Dainty, giving Alphinaud ample opportunity to grimace behind his tea cup. As Dainty had been hidden in Ishgard Alphinaud had been hidden in Doma. 

He was all too painfully aware of the Yosuyu's purges and torments upon the Doman people.

Yotsuyu was only barely civil to Cid, just enough to avoid any accusations of being rude to the Grand Minister of Science and Innovation, but fully doted on Dainty.

“Lady Garlond, you must come and play dress-up with the kimonos with me. Those left behind by the former occupants are exquisite and you would look like a perfect porcelain doll in them. We can have dango and sweet wine. It will be a slumber party.” Yotsuyu declared, giggling, and playing with Dainty’s curls.

“Oh, that is most kind, Lady Yotsuyu but it is so late, and my husband would not like to sleep alone. Perhaps tomorrow will be just as pleasant for the treat.” Dainty deferred quietly.

Yotsuyu’s cold blue eyes flashed a glare at Cid before quickly laughing it off.

“Of course, how untidy of me to forget you a married woman who has traveled far today. I shall see you escorted to your rooms immediately.” Yotsuyu snapped her fingers, livery clad servants appearing out of the walls like magic.

Dainty looked expectantly to Cid, who helped her to her feet, and let her tuck her hand into his arm. Farewells and Goodnights were given and finally Dainty and Cid were alone enough for her to ask;

“Is everything alright?”

“Yes. Just very overwhelmed. You and Alphinaud play your roles so well and I’ve no head at all for it. Better to stay silent than risk giving it all away.” Cid replied, sotto voice so that the attendant who they followed to their assigned chambers would not overhear them. Despite his claims of ineptitude he was mindful that the palace was riddled with staff and servants and soldiers that needed to know the true reason for their visit not.

Dainty could almost believe the excuse, but it did not explain his behavior in Garlemald.

“I’m going to bed now.” Dainty said, hopefully, giving a little nod to the bed but was disappointed when Cid gave a loose shrug.

“My mind is too racing to sleep…. That damnable engine tick has me all twisted up. That is one of my engines and it should not make that noise. If you’re not awake when get back I’ll just sleep on one of the sofas. Hells knows there is plenty. G’night Dainty.” His voice was falsely casual, and he turned to walk away quickly.

Dainty made as if to call him back and scold him for not being honest with her but caught herself before uttering a sound, watching him depart with narrowed purple and orange eyes.

He knew damn well she would fall asleep quickly and was purposefully choosing to not sleep in the same bed as her.

That hurt.

Especially as she had no idea what she had or had not done to upset him so badly. Dainty undressed and climbed into bed slowly, wracking her mind, trying to think what had set him off and caused him to physically withdraw from her so utterly.

She snuggled down beneath the silken sheets and delicate, embroidered blankets.

Perhaps it was stress over almost losing Gaius. 

Staying at Gaius' bedside so that Livia would remain in her own bed had been Cid’s excuse not to sleep beside her in Garlemald and Dainty had fully bought it until now.

For all that that Gaius was now the Emperor of Garlemald, Cid and Gaius still considered each other family. Dainty had had no reason to think Cid was trying to avoid her by remaining at his Father figure's bedside. 

Yet now that she thought of it, in context of his behavior here in Doma, she did not think that almost losing his Father figure would cause Cid to withdraw.

He did not seem that type.

In fact, she might have expected the opposite, that he would fully cling to her and be grateful for her saving Gaius with her Echo.

A small sliver of anger worked its way up her spine, mingling with the feelings of hurt and betrayal.

 _I surrendered a piece of my Echo to save his bloody surrogate Father and Cid wouldn’t even give me a bloody smile…. Right… sod this… I was upset. Now I’m mad. If he doesn’t want to be around me that can be arranged_ – Dainty snorted to herself, moving right into the very center of the bed and making a comfortable pillow pile and flopping down the in middle of them vengefully, making sure every single one of them had one of her limbs draped across it.

If Cid wanted a pillow to sleep with when he deigned to return to their bedroom he would have to wake her for 1 and risk a punching or do without.

Her true reason for being there was to dispatch Yotsuyu, and she did like pretty dresses and wine.

A day spent playing with fabric and kimonos suddenly sounded very pleasant.

 

 

“Look how sweet you look.” Yotsuyu giggled, twisting Dainty’s hair up into a bun and adorning it with silk flowers as the Au’Ra sipped a glass of deep red plum wine.

A lavish repast of sweets, sake, green tea and other specialties from the area had been laid out for them.

“This clothing is like nothing I have ever worn before.” Dainty replied softly, her voice automatically taking on the higher pitched tones she used when playing the role once developed in Ishgard.

She admired herself in one of the ornate floor length mirrors that lined far wall. The kimono was decorated richly with silver thread chrysanthemums and metallic blue lotus. A back ground of embroidered clouds danced among the gold and pale blue print of silk screen abstract flowers. With her pale skin and scales and pastel shaded hair she looked like a water colour painting brought to life.

“Is it not grand? When I was a little girl, working a field night and day, I thought how unfair it was that some should have such wonderful things simply because they were lucky to be born to privilege. Now that I am here, and having worked so hard with everyone I have ever known trying to keep me low, I think it only fair I get to enjoy some spoils.” Yotsuyu declared, her blue eyes smug. “I feel certain you understand, Lady Garlond. From what you have told me about Ishgard I think High Houses of Ishgard and the so called Nobles of Doma very much alike.”

“I can certainly see how that comparison would be made.” Dainty agreed softly.

“I think you ought keep that one, Lady Garlond. Those colours never do look well on someone with dark hair.”

“Thank you, Lady Yotsuyu! I hope my husband will like it.” Dainty bit her tongue, wanting to lash out that the kimonos were not Yotsuyu’s to give away but not want the Viceroy to suspect what was in store for her.

Yotsuyu’s red lips pursed, eyes narrowed as she turned her face away momentarily to take a drag on her tobacco pipe.

“Is he kind to you? This Garlean husband of yours?” Yotsuyu asked archly, tone annoyed.

“Yes.,,, Mostly that is.” Dainty replied, failing to keep a slight annoyance at Cid’s current behavior out of her voice but quickly covered it by added; “Far nicer than I would ever have found in Ishgard. They do not look kindly on love children there, whether my Father acknowledged me or not.”

“How truly stupid. To punish children for being born instead of the men whose lust beget them.” Yotsuyu observed.

Dainty did not disagree, but to maintain the act replied;

“Oh, please do not speak so of my Father, Lady Yotsuyu. Truly my Father was an excellent man, whom treated me very well.”

“Yet sold you to the highest bidder, Lady Garlond.”

“I was given a choice.”

“Were you? Were you really?”

Dainty looked around the lavish, exotic palace that would have been Belle’s, thinking of that pretty Elezen.

Dainty wondered idly if Artoiel and Belle had managed to convince their Fathers’ to let them wed in the time she had been gone. She had left a sizeable amount of money for Belle’s dowry in the care of her brother, Francel, knowing he alone would keep it safe from their Father, and produce it at the correct time to make it appear to have been sent from Garlemald by Lady Garlond.

She had always had more than enough coin to arrange that marriage, she only needed an excuse to explain how a supposed 16 year old bastard acquired such a fortune. It was now easy to claim the money had come from a generous husband and Dainty remembering the kindness Belle had shown her in Ishgard.

So much had happened that it seemed a far longer expanse of time had passed.

Dainty had been given a choice.

She could have refused to be party to Gaius and Edmont’s alliance and born no real consequences for it. Edmont would have supported her, there was little Edmont wouldn’t have done for Haurchefant’s widow but Belle would not have been so fortunate. Neither this stunning palace, nor the one in Ala Mhigo would ever have been enough to salve the wound of knowing her Father married her off to a Monster for his own ends.

It was as Belle that Dainty answered.

“Not really, I suppose. When your choice is to agree, or to be put out into the streets to freeze, is there really a choice?”

“Exactly.” Yotsuyu replied. “You and I are very alike, Lady Garlond and suffered equally at the hands of the Ishgardians, and the Domans. We are not people to them, not blood, or kith or kin. Just things to be used. Things to be sold.”

Yotsuyu began to speak of her own arranged marriage as a black and white vision played in Dainty’s mind.

A half-starved child, beautiful, even then, with eyes of sky blue. Forced to work, by threat of violence, treated no better than a slave by those who should have loved her best. “My sisters child” and “useless” they called her. No kind word coming to their lips, or thoughts to their minds.

Even when they finally thought her useful, marrying her off to an abusive drunk for the protection it gave them, they still had nothing kind to say to that blue eyed teenager. Nor when she was sold again to a pleasure house to pay off that drunks’ debts. The nicest thing anyone managed to say about her was that she “still has some use left in her.”

“…and so began my campaign of vengeance. A whisper in the right ear. A note passed to the right lover. It is better to bend with the wind and stand tall to be broken by it. The Empire was coming to Doma either way. I chose not to be consumed by the storm but to go with it. No doubt as you also did, Lady Garlond.”

“I suppose it could be put that way.” Dainty murmured, her mind a whirl.

_What if I had not been there, if Zenos had been given some pathetic trial he could have sleepwalked through and Belle been forced to marry him afterwards?_

A hypothetical situation for Belle was Yotsuyu’s reality.

Belle had always had someone to turn to. Her brother, or Dainty, or even Ser Aymeric if she absolutely had to. Yotsuyu had had no one. Every one she had ever known had participated in traumatizing and victimizing her.

 _Can I really judge her. After what I did in Ul’dah?_ – Dainty questioned. She was not unfamiliar with a burning desire for vengeance, nor enacting it in bloody, messy glory. Yet Dainty found she could not forgive that Yotsuyu's quest for vengeance had victimized many women in the exact same ways that Yotsuyu had been.

For all her carnage Dainty’s blade had claimed the head of no child, no innocent. Only those who had wrong her first, or fattened their purse by allowing themselves to be corrupted by the Monetarists. Only those that had stood against her had been cut down that night.

Approaching footsteps caught Dainty’s attention. A heavy set of someone tall, but unarmored and a whisper of a second, much lighter set.

Dainty knew Alphinaud would never understand how anyone could ever empathize with Yotsuyu, he was simply too close to the situation, having been hidden away in Doma and too idealistic, even after tasting the bitter betrayal of his Crystal Braves.

“We are alike, Yotsuyu.” Dainty spoke softly as her hands suddenly curling like vice grips around the taller woman's arms. Yotsuyu gave a gasp, the look that transformed Dainty’s pretty, pointed features seemed to belong to a voidsent not a mortal woman. “I too know what it is like to be betrayed. To be violated. But that is where our similarities end. Children yet born when you were wronged have known nothing but your vengeance. I took my fight to those that wrong me. I punished none who have not harmed me. I suggest trying it my way instead.”

“...what are you.....!? NO!”

Cid and Alphinaud heard Yotsuyu's shout but not what Dainty replied to her with, jogging to the door way in time to see Dainty dragging Yotsuyu to the window and coldly throwing the dark haired beauty from it. Yotsuyu’s screaming wail scream echoing as she fell to end abruptly with a wet sounding noise that made Cid wince.

Dainty stared sightlessly out the window, her eyes fixed on the horizon before focusing suddenly on the mirror by the wall and seeing that Alphinaud and Cid stood in the doorway, startled.

She turned, raising a hand to cover her mouth that was ever so slightly stained red from the plum wine she and Yotsuyu had been drinking.

“Acting Viceroy Leveilleur, I'm afraid there has been a terrible accident. We were drinking wine, and playing with the fabric and...she tripped! Do you think it possible _she survived_ such a fall?”

“Uh... I mean... no, Lady Garlond. I don't think there is any chance she survived at all.” Alphinaud answered, playing along after recovering from his shock.

They all knew Yotsuyu had to been removed as Viceroy, perhaps even made to stand accountable for her crimes in some way but seeing Dainty throw her from a window in cold blood as still a startling to witness.

“Oh no, how terrible.” Dainty lowered her eyes, the very picture of penitence. “Excuse me, I believe I feel faint and ought lay down.”

“Of course, Lady Garlond.” Alphinaud bowed, doing his best not to burst out laughing at the idea of Dainty needing to lay down for any other reason than she wanted a nap after punching a primal.

Dainty paused by Cid's side as she exited the room, clad sweetly in one of Yotsuyu's kimonos. Her hand raised to his arm and resting there for a moment with a little tug but he broke away from her, stepping forwards towards the window although declining to look down at the last moment.

“Someone should clean that up as soon as possible.”

“Agreed.” Alphinaud stated casting a glance at Dainty's departing back until he was certain that she was out of earshot and then offering; “It is not my business, I know but I have known Dainty a long time and consider her one of my dearest friends. Whatever conflict lays between you, I urge you to seek her out to resolve it. Fully do I believe she likes you, as stoic as I know that she can be, for never have I known her to seek the touch of another. Yet in the few short days I have resided in your presence I have seen her go to you thrice, and thrice be rejected. She won’t go to you a fourth time, I know her well though to assure you of that.”

Alphinaud could not get Cid’s measure, no matter how hard he tried. At first he had thought the Garlean cared for Dainty, her flirting, teasing words when they restored Gaius implied that they had already been sleeping together, yet Alphinaud had witnessed Cid being nothing but somewhat cold to Dainty thus far.

Cid seemed invested in his responsibilities as her husband, making certain she was comfortable with what would occur that night but not at all going out of his way to be grateful, or thankful to her afterwards. 

Were it not for the fact that Dainty was being actively affectionate to Cid Alphinaud would have held his tongue and let their awkwardness go unresolved for that would give a far better chance of Dainty returning to Eorzea once all this was over.

Cid wanted to bite back sharply, telling the Elezen teenager to stay out of it but held his tongue.

His instinct was telling him that Alphinaud was right and if he had been so unsubtle that even Alphinaud noticed his coolness towards Dainty then no doubt Dainty had bought his excuses not.

He had to address what was bothering him with the Au’Ra, and hope she was still willing to listen to him.

“Thank you for your candor, Alphinaud.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cid. You are being a swot.  
> Stahp.


	13. Just Give Me a Reason, Just a Little Bits Enough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cid gets a reality check on what life with the Warrior of Light is like.

“Dainty?”

It took him a while to find her.

She had not returned to their bedroom despite her statement of wanting to lay down. Instead she had withdrawn to the very far edge of the palace, outside of the building but still within the walls of the grounds.

He found her sitting beneath the softly undulated boughs of a willow tree, watching the wind move through the leaves, lost in thought.

“Hello, husband.” she replied with a cold, unwelcoming smile. In her pale kimono, her eyes dull when she looked at him, she looked very much like a doll and she remained as still as one.

“May I join you?”

“If you _want_ to.” An arched tone entered her voice for a moment. He had been avoiding her for days now and she was well aware of it.

“I deserve that.” Cid muttered, lowering himself to the ground to sit beside her.

She made no effort to move into his embrace. Cid was suddenly keenly aware of how quickly he had learned to take for granted the way Dainty was always reaching for him, seeking out his touch and offering her own.

It was only now, that she did not as a direct reaction to his dismissive behavior towards her, that it occurred to him that she was treating him the way he had been treating her.

“I apologize for the way I have treated you recently, Dainty.” Cid began, acknowledging his fault. “The first day I met you, you told me plainly that you are comforted best by physical touch and I have been denying you when you come to me for it.”

“We agreed too, to always be honest with each other.”

“Yes.”

“Then at least be good enough to tell me why.”

Cid looked up at the leaves.

That wasn't an easy question.

He wasn't even entirely sure of the answer himself yet but he knew he owed it to her to at least try to explain.

“Being responsible for someones death is a concept I struggle with. What happened in Bozja will forever weight on my mind. I know death were the kinder fate for the men tempered by Varis' Eikon. Yet seeing you put them to the blade so methodically disquiets me. Yotsuyu deserved her Fate, you will never hear me proclaim otherwise, yet seeing you act as Executioner so effortlessly leaves me deeply conflicted.”

Dainty didn't look at him, her mouth drawn into a slight pout as she watched the slowly gathering clouds through the willow leaves.

“There is a difference between knowing what I am and seeing it for yourself.” Dainty observed mildly. “You aren't the first to be troubled by what I do as Hydaelyn's Chosen, nor were you given the chance to decide if you could accept it before we were wed.”

Her words reminded Cid he was not her first husband and wondered if that Elezen had also been perturbed by Dainty's violence.

“I am confronted by the challenge of reconciling these feelings.”

“Then you believe me heartless.”

“I never said that!” Cid scowled. She was putting words in his mouth. “I said it was a challenge, not that you have no heart.”

“It is the same thing. If you understood my motivations, you would not be challenged by my actions.” Dainty shrugged, as if this bothered her not a whit.

“It is not that I don’t understand your motivations. It is that I can’t reconcile that the same woman who lavished me with kisses within a day of knowing me is the same one who can put a blade through a man without a sound or a flinch.” Cid retorted, pride slightly stung at how callous she seemed about it. “You curl into my arms every night to sleep, and then throw someone out of a window without even blinking. You play a kind, compassionate wife and a cold, disconnected Warrior so equally I have no idea which is real.”

“I am not playing as either of them!” Dainty retorted sharply, a sudden offended tone in her formerly flat voice, betraying her true emotions. “There is nothing less compassionate about what I do as Hydaelyn's Chosen than what I do as your wife! Do you think I felt nothing putting the tempered men to the blade?”

“With all the battlefields you have stood upon it would not be unusual for a Warrior such as yourself to be more numb than most to death.” Cid defended. He did not think his assumptions completely illogical.

“That does not change the fact that it is compassion, not numbness, that compels me to give those tempered by Primals the dignified death that they deserve. Were I able to give each and every single one of them a piece of my Echo, I would! Were there a different solution, I would take it! It breaks my heart that the only thing I can offer them is an end to the madness. 

I know they would not desire to linger thus, enslaved to the Primal who would harm their kith and kin without thought or regard. So I give them the only thing I can. A quick, painless death. They do not hear me coming and my aim is true. They do not suffer any more than they already have and the Legionarius know not the pain of having to kill their former compatriots and friends.”

Cid considered this.

It was true, her executions were clean and as swift as possible. They were not prolonged by tears and regrets. It was hard to subscribe an execution to feelings of compassion yet he could not argue with her words.

Still, it was hard to imagine there could possibly be anything compassionate about throwing someone from a window.

“And Yotsuyu?” Cid questioned softly. “Should she have not stood trial before her execution at least?”

“How was Alphinaud supposed to put her on trial for her loyalty to Garlemald when he is here as a Garlean Ambassador?” Dainty challenged. “Zenos told her to subdue the population. What crime did she technically commit?”

Cid struggled to argue with that particular point.

It was true, Yotsuyu had been simply following orders. She followed them gleefully, only to happy to visit violence upon the Doman but, at the end of the day, her actions were in keeping with the desires of her superiors.

“I had not considered that.”

“Perhaps you might consider putting that vaunted mind of yours into bloody gear.” Dainty snapped waspishly, then tried to reel in her anger. Her temper could be vicious when provoked and she did not want to say something ugly and hurtful that she would regret later in her ill controlled rage. “How could it possibly benefit her victims to be re-traumatized, forced to recount their violations to an audience of strangers only for Yotsuyu to be slapped on the wrist and exiled? In one movement I have removed Yotsuyu's pervasive darkness from this land and granted closure to her victims. And besides, I didn't kill her.”

“What do you mean?” He had seen her throw Yotsuyu from a window with his own eyes. A 6th story window. There was no chance of the woman surviving that fall.

Dainty half sighed, half huffed in annoyance, drawing up her knees and hugging them. She rested her cheek on her arms, looking very small, and alone, framed by dancing willow branches.

Cid felt the palpable difference that she did not reach to him for comfort the way she once had.

“The river is not 8 ilms from that window, Cid. From that height and with my strength, I was more than capable of throwing her into the water, where she could easily swim to a far bank and disappear. I gave her a chance to leave Doma alive. One chance to take her desire for vengeance to those who wronged her, instead of visiting it upon the innocent. And it was compassion for what I learned about her that motivated me to do it. If you would have escorted me to the bedroom as I desired I would have gladly explained all of this. Erroneously, I thought you would be proud of my quick thinking once you understood.”

She had paused by his side after saying she wanted to lay down and tugged on his arm slightly. Disquieted by thinking he had just witnessed her murder Yotsuyu in cold blood he had shaken her off.

With guards and palace staff all around them she had needed him to understand and go with her so that they would have privacy, unable to drop her role enough to be demanding.

No doubt as they spoke Alphinaud was arranging to fish Yotsuyu's clothes from the water and give them quick burial, likely having guessed what Dainty had done almost instantly, much more familiar with her modus operandi than Cid was.

 _No wonder Alphinaud played along so quickly_ – Cid realized, feeling a fool. Dainty had specifically put emphasis on the words “she survived” and then Alphinaud had mimicked them back to her. Cid was so busy being convinced that his wife was a murderer that he had completely missed that.

“I'm a complete idiot.”

Unthinkingly he reached for her, trying to offer her the touch once denied and because he wanted to feel her in his arms now that he realized how wrong he had been to think her actions cruel.

“No!” She stiffened, flinching away, eyes glaring. “You don't get come to me for comfort because you're upset I'm mad at you!”

“I'm sorry. I'm sorry.” Cid winced. “I didn't mean to make you mad.”

“Well you did! I made this so bloody easy for you, Cid Garlond. I did everything I knew how to make it so that we did not have to be married in name only and I asked for so little.” Dainty flashed. If she had been standing she would have stamped a foot in anger. She still had her knees drawn up but her arms where now folded across her chest, head jerked slightly to the right as she couldn’t bear to look at him at that second.

Her words and the pain in her eyes hit him hard in the chest. She had allowed herself to be so open, and so vulnerable with him, in a way she allowed none other judging by Alphinaud’s words and he had not given her the same privilege.

He deserved her anger, he utterly deserved it.

“I know you did. I swear I acknowledged in my head but like a bleeding half-wit, Dainty, I never told you out loud how much I appreciated it. I am so sorry.”

“I needed you when we saved Gaius, I was surrendering a piece of myself to save your Emperor, your _surrogate Father_ , and you could not even offer me a smile, let alone a thank you! You could have told me you were uncomfortable with what happened to the tempered men, I would have spoken of it with you at whatever length you needed. Instead I was punished by denying me the one thing I asked for and you would not even tell me what I did wrong!”

“You did nothing wrong.” Cid said, trying to placate her, the slow dawning terror that she might actually be angry and hurt enough to walk away from him crawling up his spine.

He had not thought of how his actions were hurting her, not once. Cid could have kicked himself.

There were idiot mistakes and then there was this. He had been wrong from top to bottom.

He could have spoken to her of his questions, and concerns at any time and instead he had withdrawn into his own head and sulked there, turning away from her need for physical comfort. The one thing she had specifically voiced that she needed from him most.

She obviously did not want him to touch her anymore and the fear that she may never want him to ever again felt like being encased in a block of ice.

“Please forgive me, Dainty. I will never question you again.” Cid vowed and was treated to a snort of frustration for his efforts. If she had had anything in her hand she would have thrown it at him.

“I am not upset about being questioned! I want you to question me, Cid and to just tell me if you needed time to grow comfortable speaking upon a subject. You did neither of those things. What point is promising to always be honest with each other if we don't question one another? I cannot read your mind!” Dainty seethed. “But you were deliberately cruel to me because you made an incorrect assumption. That is what I am angry about. You let me rely on your touch then withheld it from me in silence! That isn't fair!”

The hurt and anger in her voice had reached a sharp crescendo and Cid felt it was entirely justified. She was right, that was exactly what he had done and it was not enough to merely give vague, blanket apologies, she wanted him to fully own what he was apologizing for so that he knew not to do it again.

“I'm sorry. I am so sorry. I should have been thanking you and praising you and listening to you and instead I did none of those things, like a sulky bloody child who wanted ice-cream and got peas instead. I'll never do it again Dainty, I promise I will show you that….” He swallowed heavily “...if you let me.”

“Let you?” Dainty echoed, his concern piercing through her hot anger enough to register his anxious, worried expression “Oh stop being sad to make me comfort you!”

She used to watch Thancred pull that on Minfilia constantly, pouting and making kicked-puppy expressions when he had done something wrong so that she could not bear to scold him.

“I will be bloody sad.” Cid snorted, his own ire rising at being told not to feel his own emotions. “You're threatening to break up with me!”

Dainty's mouth dropped open;

“The Hells I am!” She shrieked, utterly indignant. She had been trying to contain her temper but that was straw that broke the chocobo's back.

Her renewed anger made him pause.

“But you said.... said...” Cid struggled to recall what it was precisely she had said, and realized that she didn't. She was blisteringly angry and had refused to let him touch her, everything else came from his own paranoia.

“I said nothing of the bloody sort! I would never threaten something so drastic so idly!” Dainty shouted, she hadn't been this mad since that time Garuda had shredded her favorite leather jacket.

Cid didn't know if there was anything more terrifying than an Eikon Slayer ragefully mad at him but he wasn't keen to find out.

“I don't know what you want me to say.”

“Some bleeding genius you are!”

Cid wracked his mind trying to figure out what she wanted that he wasn't giving to her. He had said he was sorry, he had said he wouldn't do it again.

This was a logic puzzle, he just had to figure out what would calm her. The problem was he had never had a relationship like this. He had never had a relationship last longer than 4 months, if he was honest. Committing to another person, putting in the work to keep the relationship going was foreign to him. His mind had leapt instantly to breaking up when she was angry because that was all he had ever known.

The only answer his mind was coming up with was to ask someone more experienced for help but the only person he had to ask was her.

“Dainty, I am honestly not trying to make you madder. I get that I'm missing something. I just don't know what it is.” Cid implored her. “You’ve done this before, I never have. Garlemald was new and foreign to you, being married to you is new and foreign to me. Please, Dainty.”

He would beg if she did not relent. He tried to replay their argument in his head, to pick up on what he was missing but his paranoia at her leaving him kept confusing him.

He did make a very good point that she rather felt she could not argue with. She had had practice at being someone’s wife. Her shoulders dropped sharply as they relaxed, trying to push down the urge to be mean and hurtful in her anger. Still, she was not convinced that he was actually understanding her words above being regretful that he had made her angry.

“I will always be the Warrior of Light." Dainty gave an annoyed huff. "I will always have to make choices that result in peoples death. Can you accept that, or will we be here, having the same argument in another month?"

“I can.”

He genuinely did, that was why he had vowed he would never question her again but he could see instantly that he had not effectively communicated that to her.

“I will never question you again” was too vague. It could just have easily meant everything from “I will never question you again because it makes you angry” to “I will never question you again because I understand you.”

Given how important of an issue this was there needed to be absolutely no confusion between them. She needed to hear him say it, plainly and clearly, so that there could be no mistake from that day forward.

She still looked skeptical. He had gone from giving her the silent treatment over it to full acceptance a little too quickly for her comfort. and Cid moved closer to her.

"Can you look me in the eyes and tell me you understand that I take no life heartlessly?” She challenged.

He longed to draw her into his arms and feel her weight and reassuring warmth against him. That bolt of ice that had shot through his heart when he thought that she would leave him had not thawed but she needed him to say the words before anything else happened.

_“Talk to me” … Godsdammit, Garlond… is there anything she has asked for that you haven’t bloody ignored?! You fucking moron._

Cid looked into Dainty’s eyes, purple, with candlelight orange limbal rings, framed with heavy black lashes that he knew she used a potion to keep black, lest her natural blonde peep through.

“Dainty, you are the most compassionate creature I have ever met. I do not believe in your Gods but I believe that every choice you make is measured, and weighed against your responsibility to Hydaelyn. To do aught else would be an affront to the Blessing of Light.” Cid vowed. "I do understand. I promise."

Dainty gave him a long, searching look, trying to ascertain if he meant it, or if he was just telling her what she wanted to hear. 

"I believe you." Dainty decided, lowering the knees that she had drawn up in front of her like a shield. She held her arms out to be hugged and Cid's arms came around her gently. She relaxed into his embrace, curling her arms around his neck so that he could hold her tenderly.

His solid body, warm and comforting against hers was reassuring. She had never had any intentions of leaving but if accepting all that she was had been to much for him then they would have had to have a very serious conversation about which bedroom she slept in when they returned.

Just as he would not make weapons she would not share a bed with someone who did not trust her.

Dainty rubbed her cheek against his shoulder sweetly and Cid breathed a huge sigh of relief.

He was forgiven.

“I’m still mad at you for not saying thank you.” Dainty muttered into his shirt, her anger would take a while to burn out.

“I know, I know. I’d still be mad at me too.” Cid agreed, holding her very tightly, one arm around her shoulders, the other around her waist. "I'll make it up to 101 times, I promise."

He pulled her tighter against him, shuffling her into his lap a little.

She was being so good to let him hold her when what she probably really wanted was to hit something very hard very many times.

That frost that had lanced up his spine lingered still but Dainty was so warm. He would swear she ran hotter than most, which was probably why she disliked the heat so much because she was already much warmer than everyone else around her.

How could I have possibly thought her numb, or heartless, even a little? You didn’t think, that was the problem. - Cid understood now how very wrong he had been to think her actions those of someone who did not care. She cared too much, that was why she had been so eager for the comfort of his touch, because she needed to be comforted.

He tried to pull her closer, even though it was physically impossible, his actions almost possessive, pressing his face into her neck as his hands clutched at the fabric of her kimono. “Don't ever leave me.”

“I never was.” Dainty protested, confused.

“I know, I just…. I feel like I can’t get close enough to you right now.” He couldn’t explain it, only that he felt frozen to his core and it seemed that the only thing that could melt him back to normal was her heat. The need to kiss her, and touch her suddenly so intense it made him feel insane.

Cid drew back to kiss her slightly pouting mouth gently, then when she didn’t complain, deepening the kiss to become dominant. He leaned into her, his body weight pushing her down into the soft grass.

Dainty’s head spun, overwhelmed by his sudden need.

The concept of sex after an argument was not foreign to her but Cid’s uncharacteristic haste was slightly startling. She had ever been both the instigator and one inclined to rush of the two of them.

“Cid!” She gasped a little as his mouth found her neck, dragging his lips down her throat. The height difference between them normally didn’t bother her, she actually quite liked it but this time it was slightly startling. He loomed over her, like a tsunami that was threatening to pull her under and drown her.

For half a moment she thought to struggle as his mouth worked across her collarbones, and dipped towards her breasts before being thwarted by the fabric.

“Let me?” he whispered against her skin.

Dainty knew she need make only the faintest noise of resistance, or hesitation and Cid would back off at once but there did not seem to be the need to. She derived comfort from touch, and it certainly seemed a better way of dealing with her anger than simply waiting for it to fizzle out. Dainty was also aware that she frequently came on quite strong with him when initiating sex, it would be unfair not to pay him the same consideration. 

She gave him a small, cheeky smile. Why should not surrender to his dominance, let him consume her and control her as she had done to him in the past?

“Yes.” 

Cid tugged open the front of her silken attire, exposing pale flesh and scales to the afternoon sunshine before drawing his mouth between the valley of her bra clad breasts. Dainty gave a little shudder, the first tinges of arousal quickening her pulse.

Dainty relaxed into his touch. She arched her back so that he could remove the obi that encircled her small waist and fully splay open the kimono she wore, giving a hungry growl as he did.

Cid more or less tore off her small clothes, they were only flimsy lace and he would happily replace them a hundred times over if it saved a couple seconds between him and possessing her.

He pressed kisses to her breasts as his fingertips played over her skin and scales, lingering on her waist where the scale clusters at her hips reached pointed peaks on each side of her rib cage.

“Oh!” Dainty squirmed against the touches, eyes closed of their own accord and losing her hands in Cid’s hair as his mouth closed over one pink nipple to torture it fervently. “Hmmmmm oh!”

The noises she made his blood rush, thickening his cock and spurring him on. His fingers slipped over her hips, down towards her bald, pink cunt to stroke the heated, over sensitive lips expertly. Dainty moaned softly, and ground against his hand.

Cid felt drunk, or high, or both.

He pushed her legs apart, moving her tail also to the side so that he could insinuate himself between her thighs, pausing only long enough to free his hard length from the front of his breeches.

Dainty bit her lip as Cid moved on top of her, meeting his over bright, vivid blue eyes with her dark purple and orange ones. She wrapped her arms lightly around his shoulders, letting him do as he pleased with the rest of her.

Cid’s hands found her hips again, giving an affectionate stroke to the scales there before guiding his thick length between her folds with one hand.

She felt him penetrate her and hands tightening on the fabric of his shirt a little, her head tipped back with a soft, staccato exhalation of breath. Her body adjusting to accommodate his length.

It hurt, just a little, but felt so overwhelmingly good at the same time.

“Gods, Dainty.” Cid groaned against her mouth, kissing her and gathering her in his arms tenderly. One arm under the small of her back, tilting her hips forward in that way he knew she liked.

He pressed forwards until he was fully inside her, hissing out a breath and a curse between his teeth as her body closed like a vise around him reflexively and he couldn't think of anything at all.

Dainty answered with a soft noise of pleasure of her own. She liked this, she hadn’t expected too but she liked being needed so frantically he couldn’t wait even long enough to fully remove her clothes, or his own.

Cid’s other hand guided one of her legs up over his hip and holding it there as he began to move, thrusting slowly and savoring the feel of her body beneath his.

Dainty stared up at the willow branches and let his passion devour her.

Her fingers curled into his shoulders, clawing slightly as a tremor ran through her. She couldn’t move, his hands on her body, cinching her to him.

Normally when he had her in this position he used his arms to keep the majority of his weight off her and so that he could look down at her until he absolutely could not hold himself up anymore but this time his weight was crushing her into the ground, his face buried in her neck.

It wasn’t her nature to simply lay there and take it but Cid was holding her so tightly she could do ought else unless she actually struggled.

The faint blurring of pain into pleasure, and the notion of being needed that desperately made her moan his name.

For the life of her she could not deny that she liked it. Her breath caught in her throat, a fierce red blush on her cheeks as he fucked her.

“..oh…!”

As before the noises she made inflamed him, railing into her harder as she gasped and cried out; “By… the Twelve….Cid…..!”

Her fingers tightened into fists on the fabric of his shirt. Chest heaving as something built deep in her core.

“My little wife.” He managed, groaning against her skin. 

He knew she liked it when he talked to her but he never had managed to master it and right now all he could think about was how amazing she was and how amazing she felt. She was his and no one could take her away from him.

He couldn’t talk to her but he could pepper love bites down her neck, trying to distract himself from his own mounting release. He could drag his mouth down the scales at her throat, tongue playing against the ticklish sensitive spots where skin and scale met and dipping into the hollow at its base.

He could snap his hips hard on every thrust, feeling her leg begin to tremble under his hand. Her inner muscles clenched and spasmed on his length, he could feel her body twitch beneath him, weight down by his own.

Dainty tossed her head, hands actually ripping the fabric of his shirt as an intense climax made her body jolt and spasm so hard she couldn’t breathe for half a moment.

Part of him wanted to slow enough to prolong his own release, so that he could enjoy her longer but Cid couldn’t bring himself to hesitate, or pause, bucking into her faster and faster until he gave a rough, heavy grunt and came hard himself.

Dainty’s breath was still hitching in her throat just a little as Cid managed to start collecting his obliterated wits. Her submissive compliance had taken him by complete surprise, as had his own lack of control.

He would never have expected someone as headstrong as Dainty to be so utterly unresisting against being restrained and he had never lost his senses quite like that before. It was completely different to being overwhelmed by Dainty’s kisses, even then he had always had some measure of control over himself.

He had been almost animalistic in his need to possess her and that startled him, a flickering sense of shame making it hard for him to meet her eyes at first.

Now that he was on the other side of it he knew damn well she wasn’t a thing to be possessed, or owned.

“Mmmm.”

It was only when Dainty made a happy little sighing noise did he risk lifting his face out of his neck.

Cid loved it when she made that noise because it was such an inarguable litmus test of how she was feeling.

She only made that noise when she was content, usually when just falling asleep, just waking up after a particularly good nap or, as now, just after sex.

Cid moved so that he could look at her face, their bodies still entwined, her eyes over bright and her neck marked up red from his ministrations.

“Sorry.” He offered softly.

“For what?” Dainty replied, breathless and shaking.

He touched his fingertips to her neck gently, penitent;

“I made a mess of your neck.”

“It felt good, like you were trying to consume me.” Dainty bit her lip with a naughty grin, hands shaking a little as she ran them through his hair.

“I don’t know what came over me.”

“I don’t either but I liked it.” She pulled his face to hers, wanting kisses and he was more than happy to provide them, enjoying the closeness of their bodies now this his demanding insistence had been sated.

Her whole body was trembling and it made him want to protect her although he knew it was a byproduct of her orgasm and not because she was afraid.

Her leg finally stopped shaking long enough to lower it from over his hip as he eased his hand out from beneath her and withdrawing from her.

Dainty gave a little gasp, biting her lip. She was over sensitive from cumming and a little sore which took her by surprise.

Cid kissed her again, gently, feeling guilty.

He had needed to possess her so utterly he had inadvertently hurt her, the one thing he had always been paranoid about doing with their size difference. Even though she assured him that she liked it he was still determined to be very, very careful with her for a little while.

For the rest of the trip, at least.

He affixed his own clothing quickly.

“I ripped your things.” He admitted, going in search of the torn and useless small clothes as Dainty sat up on 1 hip to coil her hair back up into a bun, fixing it securely the pins that had worked their way loose during intercourse.

“I really liked that.” Dainty grinned. “I ripped yours too.”

“So you did.” Cid investigated the fingernail claw marks in his shirt, starting to be more comfortable with the idea that she had actually enjoyed what he considered his ill-timed foray into being dominant with her. He pocketed her ripped small clothes for discreet disposal, also so that he would know her size for the future purchase of more.

With great care and deliberation, he kneeled down beside her. Cid wrapped her back up in her silk kimono and skillfully tying the obi back around her. Dainty’s eyes lit up, pleased at how easily his hands performed the twists and turns needed to redress her.

“I am impressed.” Dainty purred.

“Even in all that my brain still somehow managed to catalog the pattern it was tied in as I was taking it off you.” Cid gave a loose shrug, he had never had quite figured out how he could do that, although he supposed this was why they called him a prodigy from an early age.

“Considering you took one look at Nero’s Red Baron and instantly knew how to hot wire it, take it apart and put it back together again my obi is probably child’s play to that noggin of yours.” Dainty replied, seizing two handfuls of his hair lightly and angling his head so that she could press several kisses to the top it and his forehead, always taking extra care to be gentle near his Garlean third eye.

Cid smiled to himself, happy to lavished with the attention.

A post orgasmic Dainty was a happy Dainty and a happy Dainty was an affectionate Dainty. He could not possibly overstate how grateful he was that she was no longer yelling or mad at him although he was quite certain he would be on thin ice for a little while if he did not properly communicate that gratitude. Again.

Her outfit was not perfect, and there were some grass stains on the back that the pale shades utterly failed to hide but at a quick glance none would guess she wore not a stitch beneath it as Cid rose, and held out his hands to draw her to her feet. He was not particularly worried about anyone seeing them until they were mere footsteps from their room anyway.

She had retreated out there for solitude and once he had exited the palace proper while searching for her he had seen not a soul. Anyone approaching the area would have been convinced to go elsewhere by their argument long before they had any chance to hear what followed it.

Dainty tucked her hand into the crook of Cid’s arm sweetly to be escorted back to the palace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alphinaud is going to be so uncomfortable when the once more happy couple reverts to their usual amounts of making out.


	14. I Heard There Was a Secret Chord

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An quick Elezen interlude.

It wasn't until one bare, pale leg was raised and hitched over Cid nan Garlond's hip did Alphinaud realize that the couple was being intimate.

He turned away quickly to double back down the path he had been walking to join them in the willow grove, returning to the palace as fast as his legs would take him.

Despite having caught only a fleeting glance and despite having given Cid advice earlier that could only have ended in this eventuality Alphinaud was quietly discomforted by seeing Dainty being affectionate to a Garlean.

For so long Garlemald had been vicious, violent warmongers. The agents of the Calamity. Enslavers of entire nations.

Yet how quickly she had turned away from Eorzea. How quickly she, Eorzea’s protector, had allowed herself to be vulnerable and open with a man who may have built weapons that were used to subjugate innocents.

Alphinaud struggled not to feel as though it were a betrayal on Dainty's part.

A glance at his reflection in one of the palace windows reminded Alphinaud sharply not to cast aspersions. He stood there, in Garlean occupied Doma, as a Garlean Ambassador, clad in Garlean attire.

He might have been dressed in the white of an Emissary, rather than the black of a Soldier but it was still the Garlean logo emblazoned in blood red on his left chest, right above his heart.

It felt so wrong and yet, Alisaie so directly reminded him, Eorzea wanted them dead.

 _How can this possibly be right?_ \- Alphinaud found himself questioning, then raised a hand to the high collar of the white uniform he wore, pulling it down with one finger enough to expose the angry, red tip of a scar that ran across his slender body from left to right. - _Yet how could **this** have possibly been right? _

Were not for Yugiri the wound that created the scar, dealt by the blade of his own Crystal Braves, would have been fatal as it had been for that shinobi herself. Fatal for Yugiri, Thancred, Y'Shtola, Minfilia, Y'da and Papalymo.

Some of Eorzea’s most brilliant stars, cut down at the cusp of felicitating real change within the realm for nothing more than greed.

 _Me and my perfect army._ – Alphinaud snorted derisively, ashamed of himself for how much of a fool he had been. - _We're going to save Eorzea._

It all seemed so naive now and that perfect army had long since been in tatters.

Those responsible for the scar that marred his skin had been cut down by Dainty in a vengeful rage after they themselves betrayed several of their fellow. Alphinaud knew not whether any of the Crystal Braves or the Scions that had been stationed at Mor Dhona, or Vesper Bay still lived.

There had been no way of knowing as he convalesced, slipping in and out of consciousness, hidden away with the Doman resistance only to find that Alisaie had been held to task for his disappearance. That turned his gut more than anything.

How could it possibly have turned out that his sister, so far removed as to have not even been present on Thanalan at the time of the Ul'Dah uprising had been tortured by their former allies as if she had had a hand in it.

Wishing to spare his sensibilities Alisaie had downplayed her suffering at the hands of Merlwyb's Yellow Jackets but Tataru had held nothing back for the telling of it though and her graphic description had turned his stomach more than enough.

_There is no right here._ \- Alphinaud decided. There was only shades of grey and the belief that, at present moment, Garlemald's shade of gray ran lighter than Eorzea's. 

Dainty certainly seemed to think so. He recalled her describing the super power as “swinging towards being a force of light” under Emperor Gaius' guiding hand. 

_My sight is so clouded by doubt that I know not where I stand and what I stand for. All I can do is trust that Dainty sees clearer than I and use this chance I have been given to repay Yugiri as best I can._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wanted to touch on Alphinaud's thoughts and feelings but it didn't really flow with the next chapter, or the one after it, so it ended up its own stand along little thing. And now, back to our regular scheduled goofiness.


	15. Now I See Fire Over On The Mountain Side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If an Eikon Slayer is not available, perhaps a Tribunus Laticlavis will do.

“What are you doing in here, Nero?”

The soft, high pitched voice managed to sound full of steel, despite the fact it came out of a being that barely managed to stand level with his knees.

A charming, and utterly fake smile transformed Nero’s features as he turned to look at the lavender haired lalafell in the doorway.

“Just looking for parts to repair the Red Baron, Miss Tataru.” Nero replied as innocently as he could manage. “It is this workshop owner's fault she is in such a bad state, after all.”

Tataru didn’t not buy his sunshine and goodness routine for an ilm and gave him a smirk that curled up the left corner of her lips;

“Wonderful. You will not mind, then, that I have had the Palace Staff hide everything else.”

“Wonderful. I like a clean work shop with no distractions!” Nero mimicked, enthusiastic until the Lalafel strode away.

The smile instantly dropped from his face as he turned, hunting through the workshop like a rapid dog and discovering Tataru spoke true. All the schematics for the levitation engine were notable only by their absence. All the original designs for Dainty’s energy weapon, he had been given only copies with half the notes scribbled out with black ink, were completely gone.

There was plenty of base resources, and a veritable mountain of Reaper parts and pieces, as well as all the necessary tools but anything beyond that had been stripped away, leaving Nero frustrated.

Tataru had elected herself Comptroller while Cid and Dainty were away, and took that role very seriously. The palace was in no fit state for occupation, leaving a large amount of staff with a wont of occupation and accommodation while it was repaired. Cid’s quick thinking in throwing open the staff quarters had taken care of the later but not the former.

Fortunately Tataru’s management skills were second to almost none and anyone who was able bodied had been set to work taking care of those still baring wounds, taking care of the staff quarters, and making sure the gardens that Dainty had started replanting did not go untended while the Au’Ra was in Doma.

Gaius was so impressed he was fit to promote her to the XIVth and give her her own squadron to command.

Nero’s thoughts on Tataru were less flattering, to the amusement of Livia and Rhitahtyn.

Nero had been unashamedly trying to snoop through Cid’s Estate, Workshop, even private bedrooms while convalescing there, only to be thwarted at every turn by Tataru who would appear at his knees with a polite little cough and a comment about how Nero was being a very ungracious guest to those who had saved his life.

Tataru had no problem reminding the Tribunus that he would be a thrall to Varis’ Primal, or dead, were not for Dainty.

Nero knew it too.

Strategically it would have been far wiser for Dainty to use the tempering wave as cover to strafe up the room and put Varis down quickly before turning on the Primal.

He, Livia and Gaius were already wounded to the point of uselessness. Sacrificing her element of surprise, from a strictly tactical point of view, had been a rash and stupid decision. And a decision that had kept them all alive. He had no words for the emotions he had felt, seeing her echo shield manifest in front of them and realizing his mind was still his own before unconsciousness had claimed him.

Nero found a set of hydraulics that might be harvest-able for the Red Baron. It was making an odd squeak when assuming rider ready position, suggesting the movement system was more compromised than it appeared at first glance.

He settled in to work, muttering to himself about the Lallafellian dictator of this establishment.

Nero wasn’t upset his life had been saved by an Eorzean, or even that he now stood in Dainty’s debt. 

It was the palpable, extreme favoritism shown to Cid that got under Nero’s skin and drove the blond half mad with frustration.

It had amused him to see Cid married off to a skinny little Au’Ra with only half a brain in her head. Finding her a good person and excellent cook had been annoying but not devastatingly so.

Discovering that she was, in fact, the Eikon Slayer made Nero’s gut burn in the worst way.

Especially considering, in Nero’s opinion, there was no need to protect Cid the way Gaius did. There never had been a need. Nero’s designs were superior, as far as Nero was concerned. He felt that someone should off Garlond with all possible haste so that the Emperor would actually give Nero’s creations the attention they deserved.

There was nothing Cid could do that Nero couldn’t, he believed and Nero had no issue making weapons. He knew he should have been the obvious choice to help Gaius usher in a golden, new age of peace in Garlemald and been rewarded with rank and wealth accordingly.

Instead he was ever second to Cid bloody Garlond and most commonly referred to as “the Emperor’s lapdog” for his troubles.

Noise at the entrance drew his attention, although not enough to look up from his task, biting out a nasty:

“I am merely working on some hydraulics you awful purple haired popoto.”

“I’m sure your girlfriend will appreciate her new pantyhose.” Alisaie retorted with a grin. Nero wasn’t sure if she was implying he was so horrid he needed to build himself a magitek girlfriend to get laid or that he was a little too obsessed with his Red Baron. Either way, he felt appropriately insulted.

“Which one are you again?”

“Really, I expected better of a tribunis laticlavis than to make the same tired joke everyone else has been making for 16 years.” Alisaie yawned. They both knew damn well it was her brother that had been dispatched to Doma with the Garlonds.

“What do you want?” Nero snorted annoyed.

“One, delivery. Two, Gaius requests that you repair yours and Livia’s armor as soon as possible.” She held out her hands, presenting him with his battered helmet. The troops trawling through the rubble of the palace for anything that might be saved, and the corpses of those that perished there, had found it and subsequently delivered it to where the Emperor and his Tribuni were known to be staying. “And three, Tataru sent me to babysit you.”

The general public were unaware of just how much damage the quartet had taken, and Gaius was eager to keep it that way. It benefitted both moral in Garlemald and the Emperor’s reputation for it to appear he and the Tribuni had stood against a Primal and walked away unharmed.

Nero looked at her coldly, pale blue eyes taking the teenagers measure before his lips curled in a half snarl, half self deprecating smile. Gaius had been barking orders at Nero his entire military life, he didn’t need a fool-headed child trying to spare his sensibilities by softening her words when relaying messages.

“The Emperor _requests_ nothing when speaking to people who aren’t Garlond.” Nero snorted.

“I’ll have to take your word on that.” Alisaie shrugged, not even close to well enough acquainted with any of them to comment on that situation. She set his helmet down on the bench next to him.

“Don’t you have a half-witted Echo user to be rescuing?”

“Oh, don’t I wish I did!” Alisaie replied. “Aulus will say nothing beyond muttering about his “findings””

“He is no doubt aware there is a short, painful death awaiting him the moment he gives up what he knows.” Nero retorted.

Alisaie’s lips drew into a thin line.

Rhitahtyn had told her much the same and suggested a couple of stomach turning methods of motivating the scientist to talk. Alisaie had liked none of them.

She moved to boost herself up on a bench.

“You don’t want to do that.” Nero corrected her darkly.

“Oh?” Alisaie questioned, thinking the Tribunus about to threaten her bodily to leave him alone. The rapier at her hip suggested she would not go down easily, even if Nero could probably drop her with a single backhand when he was fully armored, and healthy.

“Last time I was in this workshop a certain Au’Ra’s bare ass was parked on that particularly bit of bench.” Nero informed Alisaie, who made a disgusted face and shuffled down to a different bench.

“Most obliged, Nero. By the by, it is your turn to pick what we order for dinner.”

The security measures put in place to protect Cid were serving Gaius and the Tribuni very well as they convalesced. Having yet to learn if Varis had conspirators to be held accountable for summoning an Eikon in the heart of Garlemald, and most of them still baring wounds despite the official word being that all was hale and hearty, keeping to themselves in the compound was giving them a chance to regain their strength before going out in public again.

Rhitahtyn and the Frumentarium had turned up little so far, suggesting that Varis had been acting alone with the exception of the help provided by Aulus mal Asina. The incarcerated scientist had grown silent, repeating nothing beyond that he had been incapable of turning down the opportunity to test his research.

“I honestly don’t care.” Nero shrugged. His tastes were simple and he had no desire to embarrass himself by admitting that most of the things he ate on a day to day basis were home-made, unglamorous meals created out of sheer necessity by the poor farmers he had been born to.

“In that case I’m telling everyone you want that fish thing that _I_ like.” Alisaie grinned, then threatened; “Rat me out and I will tell Tataru I caught you snooping upstairs.”

Nero gave a sharp bark of laughter.

He could fault the girl for many things but a quick, direct wit was not one of them.

“If you are going to stay here you might at least be useful about it. Come here and hold this.” Nero ordered. The hydraulics could be put in a vise but that ran the risk of crushing one of the delicate internal components. It would be much better if someone would hold them for him while he coaxed fresh grease down the length of the piston.

Alisaie raised one eyebrow at him imperiously;

“I might be a “savage” but you have the manners of a dzo, Nero.”

“At least I don’t smell like one.”

“But you do strongly resemble one and honestly, which is worse?”

“That depends if one is blind or not.”

Alisaie laughed, but jumped down from the bench and walked closer to the tall, blond Garlean. It was rare that Alisaie found someone that could throw her jokes back at her without growing insulted. Her sense of humor was inclined to be somewhat dark, and cynical, even those who were well familiar with it such as her brother often found it tiresome.

Nero made an impatient gesture for her to brace part of the hydraulics with her hands, leading Alisaie to give him a sour look.

“You will use your words or you will do without my help, Nero. I am not having one of my fingers lobbed off because you decided to communicate in grunts and gestures.”

One of Nero’s eyes twitched in annoyance that she would think him so untidy craftsman to come anywhere near her pale, delicate hands with a tool capable of removing one of them. Nero prided himself on efficient, clean work and would most certainly have used one of the many braces and clamps in the workshop if that had been anywhere close to a possibility.

“Will you please hold _this_ part of the hydraulics shaft **here**. Be careful of the piston seal and do not cover the air intake.” Nero enunciated very precisely, as if speaking to a child. Alisaie saw at once why he wanted her help, her much smaller hand could fit in the space between the seal and the intake where Nero’s would not.

“You forgot the “Miss Leveilluer” but yes, I will.” She smirked, then added sarcastically; “Since you asked oh-so-nicely.”

“Miss Leveilleur can get bent lest I decide I want stewed offal for dinner instead of her fish thing.” Nero retorted but his tone was not insulting in the slightest, earning renewed laughter from Alisaie.

“Stewed in what? Tomatoes or gravy?”

“Gravy, of course. Anything is an insult to a good piece of innards.” Nero declared, a little surprised she had not reacted with a disgusted expression at the mention of such a poor mans food. He smirked before provokingly commenting; “Only snooty fucks use tomatoes”

“I use tomatoes.”

“I don’t believe I need to add anything further.”

They were 2 hours into a solid debate about tomato vs gravy, and popotos vs yams, as both had many valid points about why their way was superior and neither would concede on any point, when Rihtahtyn sas Arvina joined them. The workshop instantly becoming slightly crowded for the Roegadyn's presence.

“Stewed offal. Tomatoes or gravy?” Alisaie demanded, trying to capture the power of numbers.

“Both are disgusting, don’t let Nero tell you otherwise.” Rhitahtyn replied and Alisaie beamed a smile at him.

She admitted to being partial to the massive man. He had been so careful when carrying her from the airship after the Frumentari rescued her from Limsa, although she had been lapsing in and out of consciousness, she remembered his gentleness at least. “I’ve a message for you.”

He held out a note and, her fingers slightly stained with grease from assisting Nero, she accepted it.

Her hand completely dwarfed by the armor clad Rhitahtyn's momentarily.

His luck in not being injured during the Primal attack allowed him to act as a loyal go-between for those within the compound and those without. He had made a day-trip to Ala Mhigo, having located the original laboratory of Aulus mal Asina before the critical pieces were smuggled into Garlemald.

It had been a grim sight, and the hundreds of bodies, drained of life and aether, had given further explanation into how the transfer of the Echo had occurred.

Although it had yet offered no clues to the identity of from whom the Echo came.

“For …. me ?” Alisaie questioned. No one knew she was in Garlemald, at least, they should not have. A lot of pains had been taken to get her and Alphinaud both there without anyone being any the wiser.

“Indeed. A tall, blond fellow passed it along. He were Garlean by the look of him but wore the war paint and armor of an Ala Mhigan.”

“Arenvald!” Alisae gasped, tearing open the note. “His Echo must have alerted him that I had recently been in your presence.”

Her eyes quickly skimmed the hastily written page, a hand going across her mouth and her eyes filling with tears even as they fully sparkled with joy. “All the Scions at Vesper Bay survived! Gods! I must tell Dainty and my brother at once. They will be overjoyed… oh …. they too are seeking answers about the transfer of the Echo, the disappearance of all the people led them too it… Krile is confirmed as safe in Sharlayan.... “

Alisaie trailed off, confused by this information. “…but if not Arenvald, and if not Krile…. Who in the Seven Hells was in that infernal machine before Dainty was?”

“I’ve no answers for you yet, Alisaie but trust me, I am working on it.” Rihtahtyn vowed.

“I am certain you are. I wish I could do more but for now, how do I best get a message to my Brother?”

“Come into the house, and I will show you. Livia found a passage that may refer to Acians too that she and Gaius want your opinion on.” Rihtahtyn offered and Alisaie smiled, joining him to leave Nero to his own devices.

Nero watched Rihtahtyn and Alisaie depart, his eyes lingering on the mismatched pair before straying back to his battered helmet, still sitting innocuously on the bench where Alisaie had set it.

He ran his tongue across his teeth, and sucked on his bottom lip contemplatively. A terrible habit from childhood he had never fully mastered. His pale blue eyes flicked back to the slender white haired slip of a teenaged Elezen walking towards the house gracefully, considering his next move carefully.

The consideration paid to the twins by Gaius, empowering Alphinaud to go to Doma and letting Alisaie stay as desired, was not lost on Nero, who desperately craved that same kind of respect from the Emperor.

He had yet to win it with his military prowess, despite out classing both Livia and Rihtahtyn enough to earn the rank of Tol.

Impressing Gaius with his magitek was to be a failing endeavor whilst ever Garlond lived. That rubbed Nero the wrong way but at the end of the day he was an accomplished tactician and strategist. He knew he could not win that fight. Gaius’ favoritism was simply insurmountable.

Nero needed a different tactic, a different “in” and in Alisaie his quick, ever plotting mind finally saw the opportunity he had been waiting for. Gaius might be blind to Nero’s genius but the Scions would not be. It was clear Gaius valued them and Nero calculated that if he could make the Scions value him it would serve his ambitions quicker than beating his head against the unmovable object of Gaius’ bias towards Cid nan Garlond.

A small smile curled twisted Nero’s mouth into a smug expression.

How Convenient that one Scion had remained behind, separated from all the others.

Ingratiating himself with Alisaie, and through her the rest of the Scions would not be difficult, their banter earlier had proven that much to Nero.

A young child, alone, traumatized from the murder of her friends and subsequent torture would be only too eager to latch onto that which was strong, and kind to her. Nero had witnessed as much with Livia and Gaius throughout the years and was watching that same pattern repeat itself again with the quick friendship between Alisaie and Rihtahtyn.

Nero’s pale blue eyes lingered on his helmet, assessing his next move and deciding which tactic would get him what he wanted the quickest.

It was becoming apparent that Gaius intended to rely on the Scions for all the Ascian and Nero was bound and determined to make sure the Scions relied on him, not Garlond, for all things Magitek.

 

 

“Miss Leveilleur, move your feet.” Nero told her firmly, taking the white haired teenager by surprise. She had been reading, and fighting the urge to nap. The evening was warm and she had had more than her fair share of the seafood stuffed haddock over roasted popotos that had been ordered for dinner.

Garlemald cuisine tended to be heavy, not surprising for a people that had once dwelled in a very cold, harsh environment and tended towards physical pursuits such as military campaigns. Coupled now with the exotic foods and spices available in the city everything was drenched in sauces and marinades, making for a delicious and rich meal.

She quickly shifted her feet off the sofa as Nero unfolded himself onto the cushioned chair. The blond had never sought out her company before, and in fact she was very confused by his presence. Normally he was found in attendance of Gaius, that man himself was in the upstairs library with Livia, hunting through Midas nan Garlond’s historical tomes for mention of the Ascians.

Alisaie had been pouring over one Livia had found earlier that referred to an Emissary that could have been Elidibus.

“What do you want Nero?”

“Your echo user is being held in Castrum Abania.”

“..what?” Alisaie dropped her book in surprise, a sick feeling settling into her gut.

Nero had insisted on going out earlier, claiming to need his own, superior, tools to repair his and Livia’s armor and that he was plenty well healed enough to at least give the illusion of having never been uninjured in the first place. He must have paid Aulus mal Asina a violent visit, despite Alisaie insisting to Rihtahtyn that the man should not be tortured. “…what did you do, Nero?”

“Hmmm?” Nero questioned, expecting to have been thanked, and annoyed that he wasn’t. He took in Alisaie’s tormented expression and scowled at her. “That is not the expression of someone who is excessively grateful for this information.”

“Did you…” Alisaie swallowed heavily “…torture him?”

“I most certainly did not and I am vastly offended you think so ill of me.” Nero replied in faux offended tones.

“You’re a Tribunus Laticlavus in the Imperial sodding Army. Of course I think so ill of you. If not torture, what other method did you deploy? Asking nicely?” Alisaie sassed, giving him an unimpressed expression.

They may be kind to her, and their Emperor might owe her brother and Dainty both but she was very well aware that she was surrounded by soldiers, not socialites.

Nero chuckled, hiding his smug smile, considering himself having successfully baited Alisiae into another banter session and thereby lowering her guard.

“Much, much simpler than that, Miss Leveilleur. I merely told Aulus mal Asina the truth. That the Emperor was saved by use of his machines, and was incredible grateful for their existence in his time of need. If Aulus happened to misunderstand that to mean that Gaius intended to pardon him, and allow him to continue his research well, I cannot be held to account for that now can I?” Nero asked, the very picture of innocence and confusion at how Aulus could ever have come to be suffering under such a misapprehension.

He gave a grandiose shrug. “I merely added that the Emperor intended to bring low the Acians, and how valuable being able to duplicate an Echo could be to that endeavor, nothing untrue in that. Is it my fault Aulus volunteered that he has a much more sophisticated laboratory in Castrum Abania on that information?”

“Then what happened?” Alisaie asked, biting her lip, her eyes lit up in anticipation, hoping that Aulus mal Asina had also given up the name of the Echo user.

“Then I had him executed. The man was a fucking traitor.”

“Oh.” her face fell sharply.

“That is a very odd way to say “Thank you, Nero tol Scaeva”. Do they not teach you manners in Sharlayan?”

Alisaie gave an indelicate snort, unable to help herself.

“Thank you, Nero tol Scaeva.” Alisaie told him, soft and sincere, making sure to look him right in the eyes as she did. They were such a curious shade of blue, utterly unique to Garleans, much like the platinum shade of his hair. Livia’s platinum locks had gold undertones but Nero’s were more ash silver, giving his hair an almost white blonde affect in some lights. “How quickly can we get to Castrum Abania?”

“You’ll need the Emperor’s permission for that. Castrum Abania is the last refuge of those troops who did not support Gaius.” Nero replied, raising his eyebrows imperiously. He rather thought she had forgotten where she was for a moment. “If any of the XIVth can even be spared for a rescue mission at the moment is doubtful. You’d be better off waiting for Garlond's pet Eikon Slayer to return and set her to the task.”

A sudden thought occurred to Alisaie and two seemingly unconnected pieces of information suddenly had a rather large, glowing line drawn between them in her brain. Dainty had mentioned encountering a rogue Garlean general during her time in Ishgard.

One who, before falling to the Primal Zurvan, had referred to Varis yae Galvus not Gaius zos Baelsar as “his Emperor.”

“Would Regula van Hydrus' men be among those at Castum Abania?”

Nero felt his eyebrows nearly meet his hairline in surprise at the name, wondering how the Seven Hells she knew Regula van Hydrus. The man was an accomplished Legatus, and Gaius had respected Regula's loyalty to his childhood friend by not asking Regula to fight for Gaius's cause but rather to simply not take up arms for either side the day Gaius seized the throne.

Loyal to Varis to the last Regula had refused, standing beside Varis until the battle was lost before fleeing Garlemald as a traitor, never to return.

“How do you know that name?” Nero questioned, curious as to what Regula van Hydrus had been doing in his exile, and how it might have taken him to Eorzean shores.

“I don't personally but Dainty spoke of encountering him in Azys Lla.....”

“WHAT?!” Nero fully catapulted off the couch, interrupting the teenager, wide eyed. “Azys Lla, floating Alagans city? Location of the Genesis Expression? Locked behind an impenetrable force field? THAT Azys Lla?!”

“I don't know about all of that but considering Dainty said she last saw her friend and fellow Echo wielder Ysayle Iceheart plummeting from Azys Lla towards the Ishgardian Sea of Clouds after Regula's warship took down her Primal form I would imagine they must be one and the same.”

Alisaie could not deny that it was awfully coincidental that an Ishgardian Echo user was last seen in the presence of a Garlean general who happened to be loyal to a family whose son had been in Ishgard not 3 months later. “I don't know what weaponry the Gaviton was equipped with but if they had somehow managed to catch Ysayle as she fell....”

“All warships of that class are fitted with rocket deployed carborundum twine nets of my design. Assuming Ysayle had already achieved terminal velocity and the Graviton was stationary it is entirely possible to calculate her trajectory well enough to ensnare her as she fell.” Nero replied quickly, waving her questions away. There was far more important things to discuss in his opinion. “What of the barrier around Azys Lla? Did Dainty broach it? Can she get into the city?”

“Who gives a shit?” Alisaie shrugged, nonchalant.

Nero sudden interest in what she considered completely irrelevant in the face of Ysayles identity being confirm was bothersome to Alisaie and she responded accordingly. Getting into Castrum Abania was a far higher priority than pointless trips to a place Dainty had already been.

Nero was instantly deeply aggravated by her blasé attitude.

How could she not understand the importance of Azys Lla, and how deeply critical it was that Nero gain access to that forbidden floating city before Garlond?

More than that, Nero needed to extract a solemn promise from Alisaie that the Scions needed him to go and explore Azys Lla for them before Gaius could learn of its discovery and award its exploration to someone else.

He loomed over her, hands curling around her shoulders as if he meant to violently shake her.

“Take. Your. HANDS. Off. Me!” Alisaie growled rearing back.

Nero ducked and he was quick, but the slender Elezen Red Mage was quicker, driving the butt of her hand sharply into his Garlean third eye, sending him staggering backwards, wincing in pain.

“OW, OW, SON OF A BITCH, OW!!”

“Daughter, actually.” Alisaie retorted erupting to her feet, drawing her rapier and summoning her aether to her. Thancred had taught her that particular strike although she had never had a reason to put it into practice before today. She was deeply disappointed at how quickly he had turned to violence, and was reminded, once again, that she was in the company of soldiers, not socialites.

No matter how fun bantering with Nero had been, despite the heavy subject matter, he was a very dangerous person. He was not her friend. This was not the Studium and he most certainly was not Krile or Y’Shtola. The lalafelian instructor had a quick, sharp wit not dissimilar from Alisaie’s and they had often bantered back and forth and the late Y’Shtola’s tendency to descend into pure sass-talk after a strong larger or two was well documented.

Nero cursed through his teeth, realizing how badly he had fucked up in an instant.

In his haste to extract the necessary information from Alisaie he had shattered the fragile trust he had been so carefully cultivating, destroying all hope of getting the Elezen on his side in his ongoing rivalry with Garlond.

Alisaie, catching movement out of the corner of her eye, spotted that Rihtahtyn and Tartaru had joined them. She powered down, holstering her weapon quickly knowing she had nothing to fear of the injured Nero with the fully armored and healthy Rihtahtyn close by.

“He deserved it, I swear.” Alisaie informed the massive, armored Roegadyn who merely smiled at her from behind his mask, inclining his head once.

“Miss Alisaie, knowing Nero as I do, I do not doubt that for an ilm.” Rihtahtyn rumbled.

Tataru merely sighed, muttering “Garleans” under her breath and striding into the kitchen to take stock of the breakfast foods inventory levels for the following day.

Alisaie watched Nero stomp off to sulk in a corner with narrowed sapphire blue eyes.

She wasn’t unsympathetic to Nero’s plight of ever coming in second behind “Gaius’ favorite.” 

Rihtahtyn had explained much of the dynamic between the Emperor's favorite and the Emperor's lapdog after she had questioned Nero’s comment of Gaius only requesting things when he was speaking to Garlond. 

From his words Alisaie had been able to deduce that the Roegadyn considered Cid the superior engineer but honestly did not know enough about creating Magitek rather than wielding it, to truly say. Rihtahtyn’s unflinching loyalty to Gaius extended to the Emperor’s surrogate son, however.

Alisaie was slightly torn, on one hand, Cid was Dainty’s husband and, much like Tartaru, the Elezen was always going to favour who Dainty favoured. The endorsement of the Warrior of Light was not to be overlooked.

Yet Alisaie couldn’t argue that she knew how Nero felt, at least a little. Alphinaud had ever been described as the smarter twin, the more diplomatic, the quicker study.  
If one twin is described as “more” then the other must be “less”.

She had spent more than one sleepless night at the Studium wondering if her friends were truly her friends, or if they were only plying her friendship to get close to her brother.

Alisaie considered her next move for a moment. Nero had not apologized for being aggressive and she doubted he would, but that didn’t necessarily mean she couldn’t use that to her advantage.

Nero had obviously mistaken her for being a vulnerable child that he could intimidate, unsurprisingly, given how small and delicate she was at 16 years of age but Alisae was no more timid than Dainty was. That Au'Ra was often mistake for being not much older than Alisaie herself.

She walked over to the scowling Garlean who had thrown himself onto the couch to wallow in his bad mood and the slight headache he was now nursing from being punched in the head.

Alisaie sat opposite him, folding her arms across her chest and giving him an infuriatingly knowing look that reminded Nero strongly of Gaius zos Baelsar. If she just steepled her fingers the resemblance would be uncanny.

“I don’t care about Azys Lla, and I doubt the Emperor does either. It does not take a genius to figure out Gaius zos Baelsar has no interest in exploratory missions while there is half a city and an entire Palace to be rebuilt. I would wager, however, that he does care about preventing a second Calamity.”

Nero looked at her closely, not sure where she was going with this.

“Go on.” He prompted.

“Somewhere below Thanalan the Elder God Bahamut is being regenerated, protected by ADS and Allagans security protocols. You are a spectacular shit show of a hyuran being, and You Will. Owe. Me. but I can make a very compelling argument as to why the person capable of retrofitting ADS technology into his personal reaper should be sent to assist me over the Emperor’s Favorite.”

Nero’s eyes lit up, completely glossing over being called a shit show in light of this new information.

A cold shiver ran down his spine, both in anticipation of the sheer level of technology he might soon get his hands on and the fact that Bahamut was being restored.

He was been there, that day at Carteneau, beside Gaius.  
He was every inch a “traitor” as much as Gaius was for daring to defy Nael van Darnus and Emperor Solus yae Galvus.

Nero had no desire to stand against a fully powered Bahamut a second time, having unexpectedly lived through it once.

He dared not let himself hope, however, having had them dashed far too many times.

“You under-estimate how much Gaius prioritizes Garlond.”

“And you under-estimate me. Alphinaud is the better at it, I admit but I’ve a head for tactics yet. Consider, we will have to sneak into Eorzea, both due to the bounty on my head and the fact that Garlemald has no rights to be in that area and may even cause panic to be seen so deep in Thanalan. With your physique, you can be disguised as an Elezen.” Alisiae answered.

Cid was too obviously Garlean, and somewhat awkward from what Alisaie had been able to tell. She had a good rapport with Nero, who was confident enough to banter easily with her and, she assumed, be charming when needed.

With the appropriate disguises people in Eorzea viewing them would be very quick to assume them a pair of Elezen siblings simply going about their day.

Alisaie and Dainty had broached only the 1st Binding Coil before the massacre in Ul’Dah and Dainty had been whisked away to Doma before Alisaie could address the matter further.

She felt it warranted all due haste however, given how quickly Bahamut was reforming.

“You are forgetting that the Emperor will no doubt want to send the Eikon Slayer to address an issue with an Eikon. Nor will Gaius deign to ask “the favorite” to separated from his wife for any length of time. Ergo, he will send them, not us.”

“Give me a little credit would you?” Alisiae rolled her eyes, judging that the amount Nero owed her had just gone up significantly. “One, Dainty is going make a violent bee-line for Castrum Abania the second she learns about Ysayle. Two, with us having answered the riddle of the Echo user, Arenvald will be free to join us which gives us the protection of someone in the party being immune to tempering and three; That removes the risk of Dainty being seen on Eorzean soil, protecting Gaius’ investment. Now, if you’ve finished being a petulant little shit, I’m going to ask one you last time. I’m going Bahamut hunting. You in?”

A smirk curled Nero’s lips, pleased to see he hadn’t utterly undone himself earlier, unaware it was mostly pity that motivated Alisaie to extend the invitation and nothing Nero himself had done.

“I am most certainly “in”, Miss Leveilleur.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh Nero, do you even realized you just got made a 16 year old Elezen's bitch?  
> Probably not.  
> You spectacular shit show.


	16. I Know You Know What The Truth Is

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cid and Dainty continue to be cute and Gosetsu is confused. So very, very confused.

“What time is it?” Dainty murmured sleepily, the change of sunlight as it progressed passed sunrise to full day rousing her.

“Early, go back to sleep.” Cid replied softly, drawing her against him and kissing her forehead tenderly. He gave her a little extra squeeze, provoking a small “hmm” out of her before she drifted back to sleep in his arms.

His shoulder had gone numb about an hour ago, and the end of her tail was poking him in the shins.

It was worth it for the constant, tactile reassurance that she was not going to leave him, even if he logically knew it was only his own paranoia that was making him think she would. Cid had never really acknowledged how deeply lonely he had been until he wasn’t anymore. The idea of returning to that, all alone, rattling around the compound was slightly terrifying.

She had been her usual affectionate self all night but even still he had had to scolded himself firmly not to annoy her by constantly asking for reassurance that she did not intend to leave. Cid had been utterly unable to stop himself holding her extra tightly all night, however, fully aware he was probably being obnoxiously clingy for doing so but Dainty hadn’t seemed to mind, nor had her sleep suffered for it.

As had been her wont since the first night they shared a bed Dainty had curled herself into his side, bent one leg over his, draped an arm across his chest and promptly fallen deeply asleep.

Cid’s mind turned back to the previous day, watching the shadows in the room retreat as the sun continued to rise, and chastised himself again for his stupidity.

Dainty looked so peaceful now, fast asleep on him, her face tucked into his neck and her mint green hair braided into a thick plait but the pain in her eyes when she spoke of the tempered lingered with him. 

_“Were I able to give each and every single one of them a piece of my Echo, I would!”_

Cid could well believe it.

She would drain herself dry if it meant one more person who got to return home to their family.

He had not slept well last night, despite Dainty relinquishing half the pillows and cuddling up with him sweetly. His mind just kept churning, wishing he knew more about aether, and Eikons and tempering.

Cid was loathed to admit it but some of Aulus mal Asina’s research was actually fascinating and while Cid would never not be sickened by the idea of aether extraction it was entirely possible the scientists work could be extrapolated upon to create a preventative.

Something that people could take in advance that would prevent them being tempered.

In between hugging her extra tight to hear her make that adorable little “hmn” noise, Cid had come to the conclusion that if he wanted Dainty to not have to kill thralls then helping prevent people being tempered in the first place was a far better way to accomplish that than pouting about how good she was at it after the fact.

His wife was the Warrior of Light and he had promised her understood and accepted that. He could hide from it, or he could embrace it to help and support her in any way that he could.

Maybe if he could give her an option other than just mercy killing people who had been tempered it would make up for being ungrateful. It shamed him that even Livia, unstable, injured and hyper focused on Gaius, had thought to thank Dainty for what she had done before he himself did.

Her bare hand resting against his chest reminding him he owed her a set of rings.

“Married Eorzeans wear wedding rings.” Dainty had commented but the rare times that they did go out into Garlemald both were too quickly over-whelmed by everything to actually have the jewelry resized for her slender fingers.

She liked the jeweled brooches of the collection he had given her, and often wove some of the pearl necklaces into her hair but most of the gemstone necklaces and all of the rings she had never had a chance to wear.

Cid found himself actively excited by the idea.

In the rush and confusion of the Eikon emerging and Gaius being injured and rescuing Alisaie and Alphinaud it had taken a while to percolate through Cid’s thoughts that with Varis gone, and the Optimates utterly shamed by the fact their perfect Galvus ideal had resorted to the shameful act of summoning an Eikon, he would have very little to worry about once they returned to Garlemald.

Dainty would have to be on guard less, and they could actually enjoy the city and being out in it. He could take her to restaurants without fear of who wanted to poison him, and visit the public gardens without fear of an assassin popping out of a bush. Dainty loved pretty dresses and Garlemald had a surprisingly robust fashion district to which they had never been. He definitely owed her some new lingerie after yesterday and he doubted she would say no to some new light weight dresses for summer either.

Cid gave her another squeeze.

“It’s hard to go back to sleep if you won’t stop squishing me.” Dainty protested sleepily.

“I know but you’re so adorable.” Cid replied, kissing the top of her head and inhaling the smell of her hair. One of the many potions she used on her locks had a lingering scent of lemon and he had come to associate the citrus fragrance with Dainty’s curls.

She managed to squirm a little more on top of him before giving a happy little sigh and apparently falling right back to sleep if the way her body relaxed entirely was any indication. Cid tried not to chuckle out loud and rouse her, amused by how she turned into a pliant lump of Au’Ra pudding in her sleep and the dichotomy of her sleeping habits.

A Dainty who fell asleep in his arms could be shuffled and prodded, repeatedly woken and moved without the slightest care, or risk of violence.

A Dainty who fell asleep alone was a Dainty who was to be left alone until she woke up naturally, or risk her waking up swinging.

She seemed to either fall asleep in a mental state of “wrapped up and protected” or “alone and on guard”.

With the exception of last night Cid had never slept so well in his entire life as when he slept curled up with Dainty. It certainly helped that he had a reason to go to bed now rather than just staying up all night, working on a project or Magitek puzzle. The amount of times he had worked all night, pounded some coffee, and kept right on working until he fell asleep at 2 in the afternoon was somewhat ridiculous considering he had no true deadlines.

He simply did it because he was “in the zone” and there was no one to tell them him to go to bed. He had learned quickly however, in a month and a half of marriage that if he wanted snuggles, or sex, he had best be in bed before Dainty fell asleep.

Cid was just drifting off himself when the noise of armored troops rushing through the halls and the sound of someone shouting for Viceroy Leveilluer started them both sharply awake.

Dainty was awake, rolling off the bed and onto her feet, groping for battle appropriate clothing before she even opened her eyes. Feet were in boots and and she was running before Cid had even found a shirt, leaving him struggling to catch up, unsure whether to be horrified, impressed, or amused at Dainty’s degree of rapid deployment.

They caught up to Alphinaud in the hallway.

The Elezen teenager was apparently quite familiar with half-awake hurricane Dainty as he fell into position at her heels almost instantly, his hands reaching for the Scholars tome at his back and mouth quickly uttering the incarnation to summon a unique ruby carbuncle as he ran. The commotion drew them swiftly the front of the palace.

A massive Yanxian Roegadyn walked slowly up the red gilt and enamel steps that lead into the palace.

Cradled in his arms, as a Father might carry a sleeping child, an unconscious Doman of 6 fulms with long jet black hair and yellow robes. A delicate, pink haired Xaela walked beside him, her nervous, pale green eyes never leaving the face of the unconscious man.

With weapons drawn the troops that were stationed in the Palace were eyeing the Trio warily but none were willing to make the first move to accost, assault or arrest the Samurai and his companions.

Gosetsu and Lord Hien, until not 4 moons ago, had been enemies of Garlemald to be killed on sight. To now welcome them into the palace was startling but, proof of the power of the Emperor’s endorsement of Alphinaud, they made no move against the General or Lord Hien.

As the Emperor’s personal Ambassador the troops stationed in Doma knew to act in defiance of Alphinaud’s orders was akin to defying the Emperor himself yet for so long they had enjoyed the unfettered ability to take all manner of frustrations and base desires out upon the Doman people under the guise of “purging the Resistance.”

As such there was an unease to their dealings with the teenager, and it made Alphinaud grateful for Dainty’s presence at his side and Cid’s too. Having the surrogate son of the Emperor there would make people think twice about putting even a toe out of place, lest their misdeeds be reported back to the Emperor himself.

Lord Gaius zos Baelsar was known to have a very short and brutal temper reserved for those who acted in opposition of his commands, after all.

Cid had brought down the magitek barrier surrounding the palace and acting Viceroy Alphinaud had issued very firm edicts negating all of Yotsuyu’s policies. The most pressing being that any suspected member of the Resistance were to greeted in peace, and welcomed to the Palace without abuse or arrest.

This invitation had clearly made its way to the correct ears as, as Alphinaud drew closer, he recognized the mammoth robe clad Saumari and the 3 Shinobi behind him.

“Gosetsu, what has happened?!” Alphinaud gasped.

Dainty, gone into full Lady Garlond mode, was reassuring the troops most urgently that these people were invited guests, urging them to put away their weapons and return to their duties.

“An evil kami, brought to life by evil deeds.” Gosetsu rumbled, carrying Lord Hien, his steps measured carefully, and with a heavy sense of inevitability. 

He had been aware that, in all likelihood, bringing Lord Hein here was signing his own death certificate but had made his peace with the fact that if the kami willed his life then at least Lord Hien would be safe with those who could heal him.

Cid and Dainty exchanged a glance and as he watched her eyes seemed to suddenly lose focus, causing her to sway on her feet ever so slightly. Her echo was kicking in, whether she liked it or not, he realized swiftly, moving close to her side so that she could lean against his solid, muscular body if she needed to.

_The aforeto missing Lord Hein attempting to curry favor with the Confederates and the Blue Kojin of the Ruby Sea, in hopes of mustering up enough of an army to drive the Garleans out of Yanxia. Both had independent motivations to stand against the occupying forces although neither could really be described as warrior like enough to attempt an insurgency alone._

_Hien, winning the Nadaam in the Azim Steppe and returning to Yanxia at the head of a nomadic warrior Xaela army, however, was._

_An attack on the Garlean allied Red Kojin, to deprive the Garlean army of their shelled bodyguards, had gone awry when the Red Kojins’ God, Susano, had inadvertently been summoned. Lord Hien and many of the Xaela were injured in the summoning and Susano was still rampaging around the Red Kojin’s island, making it impossible to mount a rescue mission._

_Cirina, managing to drag Hein to the shoreline and onto her Yol mount met up with Gosetsu and the Shinobi, who had been hot on their Lords’ tail after news of his resurfacing had made it their way._

Dainty blinked as she tuned back in, looking up at Cid unsteadily.

“The Shinobi spoke of an ally, in Doma castle of all places.” Gosetsu spoke, voice almost deadpan and staring down at Alphinaud as if trying to assess if the boy was friend of foe. “To find you dressed in Garlean attire, after all you have seen of this land….”

“I know it must be a shock, Gosetsu. I can scarce believe it myself, yet I can, and will prove I am here for the good of the Doman people.” Alphinaud promised. “Bring him inside, quickly, this way.”

“I know the way, Alphinaud.” Gosetsu rumbled, carrying Lord Hien into the Palace and to one of the many lavish sitting rooms, laying the man out on one of the many exquisite day beds that tastefully appointed the room. Alphinaud bit the inside of cheek having forgotten that this palace had once been Gosetsu’s home.

“A Primal.” Dainty murmured softly, so that only Cid would hear her, still conscious of the effort to appear as nothing more than Lady Garlond but a deep concern in her purple and orange eyes.

“The quicker we can get you there, the less chance there is of someone getting tempered.” Cid replied, brushing the back of his hand against the scales at her cheek tenderly, an acknowledgment of all that she was.“A small skiff should be enough to you get to Susano by air.”

Dainty gave him an adoring look that Cid was pretty sure he didn’t deserve yet after such a monumental cock-up on his part yesterday.

“I can guide you.” One of the Shinobi, the sole female, stepped forwards. She had been born in Isari and was familiar with the geography of the Ruby Sea.

“The others should stay. The less people there the less chance of someone getting tempered.” Dainty turned to Cid, her tone of voice adoring. “Will you take me?”

“Of course. To do anything else would be in defiance of my Emperor’s orders remember? No primal shall be suffered to live.” He offered.

Dainty smiled in reply and the trio quickly departed to the airship landing.

 

 

“…so I bank hard left as Dainty takes a perfect swan dive off the side of the skiff, slams her axe into Susano’s helmet and cleaves it all the way down.” Cid explained to a rapt and delighted audience of Alphinaud, Cirina, Gosetsu and Lord Hien.

Hien, awake but wounded, found himself in the strange position of owing his life to the Garleans occupying and oppressing the Doman people.

Although acting Viceroy Levellieur had taken great pains to explain that he was Sharlayan, and the circumstances by which Hien found the Elezen teenager as a representative of Garlemald were highly irregular.

Alphinaud had had Hein installed in the Viceroy’s chambers once occupied by Yotsuyu and was fully prepared to the turn the position over to Hein at the first opportunity.

“The noise it must have made as steel rend steel. I can just imagine it! Kami have roared softer.” Gosetsu cheered.

“As it turned out that Susano was not really interested in worshipers, or tempering anyone. He just wanted a good fight…” Cid continued.

“Revel.” Cirina corrected. A Xaela of the Mol Tribe under whose colours Hien had won the Naddam she was pleased to learn that Dainty’s quick thinking in drawing Susano’s attention away from the wounded had saved many lives, both Au’Ra and Kojin.

“…revel, which Dainty was pleased to provide. Honestly, I would be hard pressed to say who was enjoying the fight more.”

“Thank the Twelve for those small mercies.” Alphinaud observed. “When Gosetsu showed up carrying Lord Hien and speaking of the Red Kojin summoning their Gods I feared the worst.”

If a more unusual coterie had ever been found in Doma Castle it would have been hard to say when. A teenaged elezen, a Garlean Engineer, the displaced heir to the Doman Throne, a Roegadyn Samurai and a Xaela Au’Ra.

“The Blue Kojin! The Red will no doubt visit their ire at Susano’s death upon the Blue. I must…” Hein attempted to rise, suddenly remembering his allies and was quickly arrested in this by Cirina placing both hands on his chest and pushing him back to the pillows gently.

“You must do naught but recover, Hein.”

“He’s worse than bloody Livia.” Cid muttered, amused as the doors opened to admit Dainty at long last. She had retired to take a shower and was now attired in a pretty black and red kimono, her mint green hair pinned up with several ornate clips and a swipe of red lipstick at her mouth. She took small, careful steps in the wooden geta she wore, looking every inch like a sweet, harmless gentle born lady.

“An order from Viceroy Leveilluer that any Red “allies” caught making incursions against the Blue are to be punished most severely ought handle it, no?” Dainty suggested with a smile. Although she had to be careful to maintain the illusion of her identity in front of the soldiers posted in and around Doma Castle she was free to speak and act as herself in the seclusion of the Viceroy's private chambers.

Alphinaud took one look at her, and promptly blushed beet red to the tips of his pointed ears, the kimono she wore reminding him palpably of accidentally catching her and Cid inflagrante in the willow grove yesterday.

Dainty shot him a confused, and unamused look and Alphinaud looked away promptly, struggling to gather his wits and find any excuse not to look her in the eye.

“As Dainty says.” Alphinaud reassured Hein; “Emperor Gaius zos Baelsar has a very strict “no Eikon” policy, after all. Perhaps it is time we reconsidered our position with the Red Kojin.”

Lord Hein’s dark eyes took in the kimono clad Au’Ra, surprised at how pretty she was.

Her eyes, purple with bright orange limbal rings, fairly glowed in the soft light;

“Dainty, I am delighted to finally meet you. Please forgive me for not bowing.”

“To do so would be wholly unnecessary, Lord Hien.” Dainty assured him, tucking her hand into Cid’s arm when he rose to greet her and offer her his chair. “May I express my deepest of sympathies for the loss of your loyal, and devoted soldier, Yugiri. And at the hands of the very people to whom she turned to for help. I am deeply embarrassed of my homeland.”

“Thank you.” Hien said softly, surprised by her words although he appreciated them. “And you have my deepest and sincerest thank you for dealing with Susano.” 

Dainty gave an eastern bow then gestured for Cid to sit and, when he did, perched herself neatly and gracefully on his lap.

Gosetsu frowned deeply, looked confused at the finery clad Au’Ra and the tall, white haired Garlean upon whose lap she sat. 

Alphinaud had mentioned in passing that he knew Cid due to the Garlean's arranged marriage but Gosetsu had assumed “Lady Garlond” to be a Garlean noble who happened to be friends with both Alphinaud and Dainty.

It had not been a completely unwarranted assumption. 

Gosetsu had also only ever been familiar with the racist and xenophobic policies of Solus zos Galvus, which lauded Garleans as above every other peoples, after all. They would never have conscioused a Garlean of such renown and noble birth marrying anyone other than a similarly born Garlean.

Not only that but Alphinaud had spoken at length about Dainty during his convalescence in Doma with the Resistance. Gosetsu could think of fewer people less likely to agree to an arranged marriage than a Lominsan born Au'Ra most often described as cold, stoic and fiercely independent.

From those same stories Gosetsu found it hard to imagine her the type of person who would dishonor herself by bedding a good friends' husband, nor did Alphinaud seem the type to condone adultery.

Yet no one else thought it amiss that Cid reached up to the hair pins currently holding Dainty’s mint green hair in a pretty, elegant bun.

He paused, eyebrows raised momentarily, asking for silent permission and she lowered her head so that he could remove the pins as he apparently desired to do so. Her curls tumbled around her shoulders, making Cid smile. He hoped there was never a day her curls didn’t fascinate him. He twisted the coils around his fingers, watching them spring back into place when he gently pulled them straight.

She giggled softly in his lap, letting him play with her hair.

“Dainty is... your wife?!” The Yanxian Roegadyn finally managed to blurt out, startling the room as he realized Dainty was not Cid's mistress, but Lady Garlond herself.

“Gosetsu, really.” Hein scolded forcefully enough that it made him wince. “Where are your manners?”

Cirina hovered by Hien's side, still nervously checking to see if his wounds would require redressing until the dark haired Doman coaxed her into retaking her seat beside Cid.

“My apologies.” Gosetsu rose, and bowed to Cid and Dainty. “Please, forgive my confusion. I have never known a Garlean to marry one not of their own kind.”

“No offense taken.” Cid assured Gosetsu cheerfully. “You should see the looks we get in Garlemald, although the marriage was arranged and by the Emperor himself, so they at least try to be discreet about it.”

“They fail a lot.” Dainty giggled playfully.

“That's because you're so damn adorable.” Cid told her, earning himself a kiss on the mouth from Dainty, propriety be damned.

“Twelve above, do I need to throw ice-shards on you?” Alphinaud asked, squirming uncomfortably and hoping they didn't intend to continue flirting, or kissing publicly.

Hein found the information that Gaius zos Baelsar had arranged a mixed-race marriage very interesting indeed. It was hard to imagine he would have done so if he was as racist as Solus zos Galvus had been.

He found it incredibly hard to believe that Garlemald intended to simply release Doma to its own auspices as Alphinaud claimed but he also found it hard to believe that Yugiri would have given her life to protect someone less noble. Or that her Shinobi would have risked so much to shield Alphinaud and bring him to Garlemald at Dainty's insistence if they had not known these people to be true to their word.

Lord Hein was aware that the Scions of the Seventh Dawn had taken in his people when none else would. Housing them, clothing them, treating their woulds and treating them kindly.

It simply did not follow that those who had risked so much to aid the refugee Domans would turn their backs on the Domans oppressed in the country itself.

As incredible as it seemed and sounded the only explanation Hein could come up with to explain Alphinaud, Dainty and Cid's presence in Doma was what acting Viceroy Leveilleur had claimed from the start.

That Emperor Gaius zos Baelsar had empowered them to make right the wrongs of Solus zos Galvus.

Cirinia admiring the exotic silk kimono that Dainty wore snapped Hein from his musings. 

“This is so beautiful Lady Garlond, from where did you purchase it?” Cirinia asked, a touch enviously, touching a hand to the fabric. It looked like it must have been very expensive. Cirinia would have liked to wear a similar ornate garment very much and her attention reminded Dainty that she had not had permission to help herself to the clothing she now wore.

“Actually, I took it from the collection Yotsuyu had gathered in here for her personal use. You must please forgive me my indulgences, Lord Hien. I perceive this beautiful outfit must once have belonged to someone of note in your Family and I hope your Ancestors do not mind my borrowing it so.” Dainty requested with a soft smile.

“The actual antique kimono belonging to my Family are all long gone. Sold or bartered for arms for the resistance. What remains in the palace are those which belonged to the… uhm… entertainment staff, shall we say.”

Cid gave a small snort of laughter, remembering quickly how Tataru had accused Dainty of dressing like a dancing girl and now the Au’Ra was apparently wearing the attire of a court pleasure girl.

Cirina and Dainty exchanged a look.

If Lord Hein had no attachment to the lavish and pretty robes then there was nothing to stop them from taking what they desired of the embroidered silk creations.

Both Au’Ra made a break for the cupboard at the same time.

Dainty got there first, thanks to her ability to strafe, snatching up the most ornate and best of the kimono greedily.

Cirina, seeing herself outclassed, quickly changed tactics, diving for the 7 trays of hair pins. As she wore her hair short Cirina had no need for the mother-of-pearl and lacquer jewelry but gambled that the long haired Dainty would be willing to trade one of the really good kimonos for the best of the hair pins.

Dainty smiled, impressed by Cirina’s quick thinking. Dainty was willing to negotiate, considering that it would have been unfair to expect the younger, gentle Cirina to lock horns with her, someone who had the advantage of strength and age and wealth. Between her own money earned from adventuring and the Garlond fortune now available to her there was nothing in the assortment of kimonos that Dainty couldn’t have replicated, if she really wanted to.

“Let us have some wine, and we can decide how to divide these to both our advantage?” Dainty suggested.

“That sounds wonderful.” Cirina agreed, then giggled; “But you must promise not to throw me out a window if you do not get your way.”

Cid gave a sharp bark of laughter as Alphinaud choked, and started coughing guiltily. Dainty's head whipped around, murder written her eyes and fully glaring at the two white crowned gentlemen in the room. Cid pointed at Alphinaud, shamelessly throwing him under the chocobo drawn cart. 

"Are you in the habit of gossiping about the affairs of Garlean nobility, Master Leveilleur?" Dainty demanded.

Alphinaud started violently, took one look at Dainty's expression and fled for his life admist the sounds of laughter following him down the hallways.

“That'll teach him to gossip.” Cid observed and Dainty, confident she had put the fear of the Twelve themselves into one Alphinaud Leveilleur tucked her hand into Cirina's arm and the two women departed, chatting animatedly together about how Dainty’s curls would look in the same shade of vibrant pink that Cirina’s hair was.

Cid watched them go, noting that Dainty stood a full 6 ilms taller than Cirina. Dainty had observed once that she was considered tall for an Au'Ra but without anything to compare her to Cid had merely accepted her word for it.

She was more curvaceous too, little wonder she had managed to pass for a hybrid in Ishgard although it did set Cid's mind to wondering.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't resist quoting Nanamo at the end of Patch 4.1 
> 
> Are you in the habit of gossiping about the affairs of royalty, Master Leveilleur? - Nanamo ul Namo.


	17. Is Our Secret Safe Tonight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alisaie has a very bad, no good, rotten day.

“This is by far the most unpleasant thing I have ever endured.” Nero muttered to himself, finally wrenching the hood and mask from his head, shaking loose the close cropped blonde hair. Curls were not a Garlean trait but waves were, and his blond locks were prone to be frizzy on top of it, if not kept short and neatly slicked back.

“Is that so?” Alisaie retorted in sour, unimpressed tones as they lingered near the entrance to the Second Binding Coil of Bahamut. “A tribunus laticlavus in the Imperial Army who aided and abetted his Legatus in stoking an Ala Mhigan Civil War in order to subjugate the entire country. Yet having to masquerade as an Elezen for a couple hours is the most unpleasant thing you’ve ever endured?”

“Yes.” Nero replied, retrieving his helmet from the grain bag it had been transported and disguised in and slammed it onto his head, yanking off the rest of the robe to reveal the crimson of his full armor.

Alisaie muttered something unkind under her breath, Nero didn’t catch all of it but he definitely heard her use of the word “racist” and scowled heavily behind his mask.

He failed to see what race had to do with it, and did not consider himself racist, especially not in comparison to the Elites of Garlean society.

Wearing the disguise had been unpleasant because it was hot, and the fabric kept getting caught in lips of his armor where the plates moved over and under one another.  
He had had to constantly fuss with the hood to keep the fake ears level.  
Nero was a soldier and a scientist, being duplicitous in the manner required to sneak into Thanalan was not his specialty nor something he ever aspired to.

As such he had spent the entire time unbalanced, out of his comfort zone and chaffingly uncomfortable. It was the masquerade that he found so unpleasant, not masquerading as something other than Garlean.

“The others should be here at any moment and I am warning you, right now, you be **nice** to Arenvald, Nero. He is a good person who has had a shit life entirely because of Garleans. So mind what little manners you possess.” Alisaie lectured, shaking her finger in the armor clad Nero’s face.

“I’m sure the Mad King did far worse by him than Garlemald ever did.”

“He was born after the occupation and entirely thanks to it.”

“Oh.”

Nero caught her meaning in an instant and fell silent. His lines in the sand regarding what was acceptable behavior towards his fellow man were a lot farther removed from most. Some might even consider that the things Nero was willing to do, and enforce upon others made him a pretty terrible person but rape was far beyond what Nero had ever felt acceptable.

It wasn’t a secret that a regrettable minority in the Imperial Army enjoyed committing sexual violence upon the subjugated peoples but Nero had always taken pride in the fact that that he had never turned a blind eye to that sort of perversion when he commanded the XIVth, and with Gaius’ full permission.

As Tribunus laticlavus he had given the order for his own men to be put to the blade before after catching wind of their disgusting behaviors and he would do it again as many times as the perpetrators were caught; “If your friend knows the name of his sire, and if the fellow still lives, I’d be keen to know it.”

Alisaie looked at Nero in surprise. His dark tone made it very clear no pleasant fate awaited the man responsible for Arenvald’s unwelcome birth.

“You would have to take that up with Arenvald himself. I’ve likely already said too much upon a subject that was not mine to speak of.”

“Noted.” Nero rolled his neck, then added in a provoking tone; “I’m a good person who had a shit life, how come no one is nice to me?”

“You are not a good person and I am plenty nice to you.” Alisaie replied in unkind tones, smirking but grateful for the change in subject.

“This is nice?!”

“Yes, so don’t push it or else you’ll discover what not nice is.”

“Eh, I’ll risk it. You can’t punch me in the head with my helmet on.” Nero taunted.

Alisaie found herself grinning at their banter, despite the situation. Nero tol Scaeva was genuinely funny, and she enjoyed trading barbs with him the way she once had with Krile. She just wished he wasn’t so damnably Garlean.

The peoples had a disgustingly violent history and Nero was as shamelessly unapologetic about that as the majority of his kith and kin.  
Their quips were interrupted by the arrival of hooded and masked Elezen, and a tall, muscular blonde in dark grey armor.

Nero saw at once whose robes he had been borrowing to complete his disguise as an Elezen.

“My Lady.” Urianger swept a deep bow to Alisaie, no small amount of joy in his tone to see the slender, white haired teenager. “Words doth fail me, overwhelmed as I am, in unbridled relief to see you well.”

“They clearly don’t fail you that much.” Nero commented, sincerely hoping the man didn’t talk like that all the time.

“Shut up, Nero.” Alisaie tossed over her shoulder at him before smiling at Urianger. “It is good to see you well, Urianger and you too Arenvald. For a long time we thought you all lost to us.”

“This is taking too long. I somewhat stand out like a sore thumb here, can we go bloody in?” Nero demanded.

“You’re the idiot that took your disguise off too quick but I suppose we should venture in.” Alisaie sighed, quickly seeing the pattern of her having to compensate for the consequences of Nero’s ill-timed actions. “Shall we?”

“It is mine intention to remain above, a path into the third hulk eludes us yet. I place the full weight of my confidence for your continued health in your companions, my Lady.” Urianger replied, with another bow.

“For Hells sake, stop bloody bowing unless you want an observer to realize she’s the field commander rather than a harmless teenager in no time at all.” Nero flashed at Urianger, frustrated by the amateur mistakes the Elezen was making. He had not a taste for deception and masquerades but he was a military man with years of training and his level of expertise far and beyond outstripped any of the others present.

“Gods, you have the manners of a dzo!” Alisaie grumbled. “No wonder Gaius orders you about like a mutt.”

“Rude.”

“Shut. Up. Nero.”

 

“If you continue on this path, it will be to your peril.”

This dire statement, uttered by a man who should have been dead, would have been a lot more chilling, and poignant were not for Nero over her left shoulder muttering;

“Get fucked Nael van Darnus, you fucking shitbag.”

“Ah... That was the name of the fool who perished upon the eve of the promised age of glory. It should not be uttered within these hallowed halls. Out of love for his loyal servant, the one true deity named me Nael deus Darnus."

“Deus isn’t even a real fucking title, daft tempered fuck.”

Arenvald, who generally did not curse above an occasional “bugger it” looked at the armor glad Garlean out of the corner of his eyes. Nero tol Scaeva clearly had some pent up resentment for Nael van Darnus and didn’t particularly care who knew it.

Nael deus Darnus, as he was calling himself, instigator of the Calamity and harbinger of a warning messaging from the Elder God they opposed responded not to Nero’s utterance, instead falling into nothingness and plummeting into the facility below.

“No!” Alisaie moved to leap forwards, as if to arrest Nael’s plunge, only to be gripped by the back of her clothes and yanked very firmly behind himself by Nero.

“For fucks sake, child. Stay BEHIND the walking weapon. Do they teach you nothing in Sharlayan?”

Her tendency to dart in front of him heedlessly was grating on Nero’s nerves. The last thing he needed was to accidentally obliterate her with friendly fire because she wouldn’t stop walking in front of his proto-canons.

“Shall we press on?” Alisaie asked, annoyed at being manhandled, although unable to argue with the tactical wisdom of Nero’s sharp toned advice. She brushed herself down firmly.

“Aye. Twelve only knows what we’ll find in there.” Arenvald agreed.

“Nothing interesting in a Ragnarok class ship. I am so disappointed.” Nero moaned.

Arenvald looked around at the facility, to him an utterly mind boggling wonder of Allagans technology, to Nero, a boring internment hulk of a class that Garlemald had had access to for decades. Nero had broken down, harvested and retrofitted the technologies from similar Ragnarok class ships more times than he cared to count and had been anticipating something far more advanced.

Something he had never seen before, something more like what he might have found at Ayzs Lla, had his access there not been restricted.

Nero approached a glowing piece of the wall, it looked merely decorative to Alisaie’s eyes but the Garlean knew better.

A button press at his wrist and a small holographic console opened up in Nero’s hand. He interacted with it nonchalantly, his fingers moving seemingly entirely at random to Alisaie and Arenvald’s confused eyes, until the console gave a happy “blip.” And an overhead guidance system announced “Access Granted.” allowing Nero to interface with the interment hulk directly from his armor.

The power lights abruptly went out, earning a startled noise from Arenvald before everything reillumined in brilliant, vermillion red.

“Much better.” The red clad Nero purred. Had his face been visible Alisaie had no doubt he would have been smirking. “The Allagans always did have an entirely regrettable penchant for bright blue.”

“Nero…. You fucking drama queen.” Alisaie snapped, stalking ahead of him aggravated to have wasted time on this nonsense.

“I also disabled the security protocols.” Nero called after her smugly. “and programmed the yonder elevator to take us directly to the command center. You're welcome.”

“Great.” Alisaie snarled, still storming on ahead to reach the lift.

“Oh, Nero, you’re so smart.” The Garlean mocked, affecting high pitched, feminine tones to pay himself the compliment that Alisaie would not before dropping into his usual voice as he and Arenvald moved to catch up with the moody Elezen teen. “A bit of gratitude might be nice. Do they not teach you manners in Sharlayan?”

“Do they not teach you not to waste time in Garlemald?” Alisaie retorted, utterly regretting doing Nero any favors. Admittedly, his solution to get them to the Bridge was far more elegant than Dainty simply cutting a bloody, brutal path there through the security measures but at least Dainty was quiet about it.

Arenvald followed the bickering pair in silence, joining them on the elevator as it slowly whirred, and with a clank, began its descent deeper into the bowls of the internment hulk. It seemed to the quiet, unassuming Ala Mhigan that Nero tol Scaeva’s confidence was too loud and too brash for someone so military minded.

Surely someone who scolded Urianger not to bow, and Alisaie not to step in front of his weaponry would know not to surrender his element of surprise so tangibly.

 _I suppose this can hardly be easy for the man, facing down something that so easily tempered his peers._ – Arenvald thought, correctly guessing that much of Nero’s bravado was to mask deep insecurity. Arenvald had the luxury of being immune to tempering. Nero did not and yet, here he was, forging ahead to face Bahamut seemingly without regard to his own safety.

Arenvald was surprised at himself to feel both respect and empathy for a Garlean.

He had not yet thought himself capable of feeling anything but hatred for those that enslaved his homeland. Before turning his attentions to stopping Nael, and taking the Throne of Garlemald it was Gaius van Baelsar himself who had brought Ala Mhigo low, and reigned over it as Imperial Viceroy.

Arenvald knew precisely who Nero tol Scaeva was, and the idea of fighting beside him, as opposed to against him, still unsettled Arenvald deeply. He had made his peace with it, addressing the possibility of Bahamut reforming, and freeing his bonds to drain all life from the star once more was a touch more important than Arenvald’s niggling desire to put his blade through Nero’s back at his earliest possible convenience.

He had always known that being a Scion of the Seventh Dawn would sometimes mean working alongside peoples from every walk of life, including former enemies, although it was confronting be doing so. 

“This… is not the bridge.” Alisaie gasped as the elevator suddenly descended into space, sapphire blue eyes going wide as cold, red illuminated hallways and containment tanks suddenly gave way to a vast start scape, the red moon Dalamud hanging in the sky like an all-seeing eye as they came to a halt.

She gave a little shudder as Nero tapped at the console in his palm but the elevator did not move. His connection to the hulk had been severed by something but he did not know what. He raised a hand to his helmet, the internal sensors of within informing him that the room they were in was far smaller than what they were currently seeing before them;

“A hologram. This is a holochars.”

“This is a grave.” Nael deus Darnus informed them, announcing his presence, the heavy metallic jangle of armor against armor as he walked towards them. “The Final resting place of Nael van Darnus. Your presence here insults my former self but your blood will purge the desecration.”

A red glow permeated his body and lanced cold down Nero’s spine. He recognized that power signature, that unholy red smoke closing around Nael, as that which came from Bahamut himself.

“No!” Alisaie declared, reacting first with the white ball of ruin spell summoned from the grimoire at her back, now clutched open in her hands.

The spell struck the helmet from Darnus’ head, arresting the draw of his power and unmasking him as a white haired Garlean woman.

“… the hells?” Arenvald muttered to see a woman in the armor of a man. The red lines in her skin pulsed, and glowed with aethereal energies, gifted to her by Bahamut.

“Eula?” Nero questioned with a deep scowl. “I’ll be damned, Garlond was right the entire bloody time.”

“What are you blabbering on about Nero?”

“Garlond suspected it wasn’t Nael in the armor anymore. We agreed thinking he meant that because Nael had been tempered there was nothing more than a thrall in the armor but it would appear Garlond was more correct than first thought. Seven Hells only knows where Nael is, likely dead eons ago if it’s been his **sister** parading around in his armor all these years.”

All the Garlean noble families interacted with one another. Midas nan Garlond gave his life working on the Meteor Project that had summoned Dalamud and Bahamut from the Heavens. Cid and Nael, despite there being a decade between them, had known each other well enough for Cid to be suspicious of Nael van Darnus above simple tempering, although ultimately it had mattered little.

Stopping whoever it was in the armor was for more important than their true identity.

“In the hour of his failure, Nael van Darnus felt the currents of aether begin to bear away his essence. But before oblivion could claim the last of him, a divine will reached out...and I was born." Nael deus Darnus proclaimed with an almost loving tone of voice. She smiled, gleeful and sweet, like a child as the red markings in her skin glowed and massive, draconic wings emerged from the armors back.

“Hold yer wits.” Arenvald drew his weapon, watching the Garlean transform into a twisted, dragon/ hyur hybrid.

There was no way this wasn’t ending in a fight to the death.

 

“Arenvald! Arenvald! Are you okay?!” Aliasie rushed to the blond’s side. He was sitting, leaning heavily against the wall next to Nero, who was in a similarly battered state enough to not even have a smart mouthed quip about Alisaie not caring for his injuries, only Arenvald’s.

Beyond them the smoking corpse of what Nael dues Darnus had twisted into, its wings shredded and arms broken, lay on the cold Allag metal floor.

“Aye.” Arenvald groaned roughly, clutching at his shield arm painfully. He had taken a couple blows from the _thing_ that had rattled him to his bones. He managed to offer the anxious, hovering Elezen a reassuring smile through gritted teeth. “Your heals were perfectly timed, as always, Miss Leveilleur.”

“Fuuuuck me.” Nero groaned in a similar fashion, holding one hand to his stomach. That had been a hard won battle, and several times he had not been entirely sure they were going to persevere.

Arenvald gave a rough laugh;

“Agreed.” Arenvald offered Nero a hand to shake. “You are fast, and strong, Nero tol Scaeva, and it has been an honor fighting beside you this day, Ser.”

Nero looked at the proffered hand.

He didn’t entirely understand the significance of the gesture, if he was honest but the day would have been lost without Arenvald’s blade to back him up and Nero would always respect a fellow fighter, just as Arenvald was quick to acknowledge that it was Nero who had landed the majority of the telling blows again deus Darnus. Nero leaned over with a sharp grunt of pain and shook the other man’s hand;

"Likewise."

“We are going to need Dainty from here out, Alisaie.” Arenvald told the girl. “We are out-classed”

“I thought you both lost the moment I beheld Nael's transformation fully did hope wilt in my heart.” Alisaie admitted. “I did not believe you could stand against the manifestation of Bahamut's power. I am humbled by you both.”

Arenvald fully blushed at Alisaie's soft words and Nero found himself squirming uncomfortably in his own armor, not at all used to the praise although part of him longed for it.

“Enough dallying.” He growled, discomforted his tangible reaction. “I did not disable the security protocols at risk of my armor for nothing. We must stem the flow of Aether from the command bridge.”

“Yes, most certainly. There is no telling how much further Bahamut has regenerated since I last beheld him.” Alisaie nodded.

“Aye. Tis our mission, after all. I don’t mind telling you, Alisaie, that if there is to be another battle I’m putting you over a shoulder and quitting this place abruptly. I am spent, girl.” Arenvald admitted. There was no shame in a strategic retreat. He knew his limits and Nael had been it.

“Finally someone speaks some logic.” Nero muttered, finally managing to haul himself to his feet in time for Nael to do so also, stumbling, broken and dying, restored to Garlean form once more. Nero took up his hammer quickly, his wounds forgotten in an instant, half willing Arenvald to make good on his promise to put Alisaie over his shoulder and run.

Nero only hoped they didn’t do something idiotically noble, like try to not leave him behind.

“No...” Nael croaked, swaying unsteadily. “A moment... My thoughts are clouded...and this body is not mine own.”

Nero looked at the woman, she had been playing her brother and tempered so long that she no longer knew which one she was. Bahamut had owned her soul since the very first time she made contact with the Red Moon, and cared not whether he had a handmaiden or a manservant.

Only that they were a fitting vessel for his hatred.

“You called me tempered.”

“I called you a lot of things.” Nero retorted, gesturing to Arenvald to get ready to run if necessary. The Ala Mhigan man had dragged himself to his feet as was pushing Alisaie behind him, despite her protests and her grimoire being already open and ready in her hands.

“Could it be that you spoke the truth? Was I ensorcelled by the lesser moon's ancient prisoner? ...That will not happen again."

Nael deus Darnus spoke truer than he ever intended, a bolt of light appearing out of the dark and plunging itself through Nael’s heart violently. The woman gasped, sounding euphoric instead of dismayed, eyes lingering the hologram of dalamud.

“Oh! Red moon… Mine….my beautiful… beautiful red….moon.”

Released in death at last, Nael van Darnus fell and dispersed into aether.

The hologram around them flickered, and went out, revealing the only too familiar insides of a Ragnarok class Internment hulk, painted red with Nero’s choice of lighting.

The elevator once more obeyed Nero’s commands, powering up with a familiar “blip” and beginning to slowly bare them away from the holochras.

It shuttled them into a room, filled with receptacles similar to what Alisaie had seen in the previous hulk but instead of chimerical beasts that were part of the Allagans security measures every last one of them held a dragon, bound in eternal duress.

“By the Twelve!” Arenvald gasped, looking around startled. The containment units seemed to go up endlessly. “So many dragons!”

“There was no love was lost between the Allagans and the dragons, but was this so truly necessary?” Alisaie asked, heart aching at the sorrow for the captive creatures.

“By what other means did you think the Allagans might sustain the Elder Eikon, and thereby bind him in his mortal form, unable to be drawn from the Aether by his worshippers once more?” Nero asked archly. The Tribuni, Gaius and Cid had answered this question long before this day, coming upon the answer prior to the Calamity in their efforts to stop the White Raven’s plans.

“Oh.” Alisaie fell silent. She had assumed them to be part of the security system to repel intruders but the acute truth of Nero’s words could not be denied.

“Who else but the dragons of eld would summon Bahamut?” Arenvald murmured.

“I always thought that Bahamut had no peoples of his own and wondered if perhaps the Allagans had found a way to simulate prayer. Were that the truth! To imprison these creatures thus is...barbaric. I would not wish such a fate upon my worst enemy.” Alisaie spoke, looking up at the dragons.

“The Allagans' ingenuity knew no bounds.” Nero spoke, an admiration in his voice that turned Alisaie’s stomach a little.

“And neither did their cruelty! Small wonder that Bahamut was so enraged! Let no one deny that it was man who sowed the seeds of the Calamity!” she flashed at the tall, red clad Garlean.

“I do not believe anyone has ever doubted that for a moment.” Nero deadpanned, uncaring for her indignation. “Shall we let the dragons’ prayers finish their work, then?”

“Get bent, Nero.” Alisaie snapped. “I have no intention of allowing Bahamut to lay the world to waste, regardless of the atrocities the Allagans committed against his kind.”

“The system responsible for the Eikon’s regeneration is also responsible for sustaining the captive dragons. If we disable it, all will perish.” Nero stated without plainly.

“A poor fate for poor creatures but have we another choice?” Arenvald offered softly. A lot of what they spoke of went over his head if he was honest. He had not the learning of a Sharlayan scholar, or a Magitek educated Garlean. 

“No. We needs must eliminate all who worship him, be they his children or his thralls.” Alisaie admitted sadly as the elevator finally brought them to the main bridge to deactivate the coil.

A model of Dalamud hung in the foreground but it was the head, partially reformed wings and beating heart of the Elder Eikon Bahamut that swiftly drew Nero’s attention. Despite knowing in advance that this is what they were seeking, and what they would find, thousands of yalms deep within the earth, it still made his pulse pound in his ears to see the reforming Greatwyrm.

“All those millennia, denied death, his view unchanging, his hatred burning, in a prison barely large enough to hold him. I think I might too choose to lay waste to all mankind the very instant I achieved my freedom were I Bahamut.” Arenvald observed softly.

“In many ways Bahamut is to be pitied, not loathed.” Alisaie agreed, stepping towards the console of this coils main command. It took her a moment to figure out which button did what, this interface was different from the one in La Nocsea but did not take long to end the flow of power to the reforming Bahamut, leaving a single conduit still funneling the harvested prayers of the Meracydians to the Elder God.

It was not the unbridled potential for death and destruction of Bahamut that quickened Nero’s heartbeat. Nor the horrific cruelty of the Allagans, represented there in the bound Eikon.

It was the fact that that Nero lived to see Bahamut a second time was a strange and terrible mistake. He had fully accepted that Gaius’ decision to stand against the White Raven had been a suicide mission. Even if they had managed to avert the tempered Garleans plans to return to earth to pristine nothingness there was no hero’s welcome waiting for them.

There would have been nothing but a noose. It was the knowledge that he was already dead, one way or another, that compelled Nero to board the airship Garlond piloted, taking his place beside Livia, Rihtahtyn, Gaius and the XIVth to challenge Bahamut directly.

They knew they would die.

There was no other possible outcome but they could hope to do enough damage to Bahamut to slow him. To inflict a wound great enough for someone else to capitalize upon.

They had hoped that they might buy a few precious seconds for the majority of the Garlean army to flee Carteneau and their names be recorded in History as heroes, rather than traitors.

Something tickled at the back of his senses and Nero turned on pure instinct, throwing himself in front of Alisaie in time to take a ruin spell meant for her to his already injured body. It sent him staggering backwards, unable to get Mjolnir up in time to block, but he remained standing.

It was hard to say who was more surprised by this.

Nero or the sole reason that any of them still lived beyond Bahamut once;

Archon Louisoix Leveilluer.

“What the fucking fuckballs?” Nero ground out between his teeth, tasting blood in the back of his throat. That ruin spell had done some damage he didn’t want to admit to.

Although she preferred Dainty’s silences Alisaie found there was something to be said for Nero’s ability to crudely enunciate what they were all thinking. She had not mentioned her vision of her Grandfather, loitering in the depths of the Binding Coils, not wanting to admit that Louisoiux had fallen that far in front of Gaius zos Baelsar.

The elder Elezen soundly ignored the Garlean, eyes honing on his Grand-daughter instead;

“Abandon this quest, Alisaie. I will not countenance further sabotage to the coils.”

“Sabotage?!” Alisaie gaped, fumbling on her words from behind Nero, unable to believe her ears. “If we do not disable the coils Bahamut will return! Is that what you want?!”

“Of course it is, any fool can see he's as touched in the head as Nael was.” Nero snorted, unimpressed as the elder Elezen's eyes began to glow red, proving the Garlean disappointingly correctly. 

“That the White Raven should have let herself fall to such sniveling adversaries.” Louisoix sneered.

“Get fucked.” Nero retorted, hearing a soft, barely restrained whimper behind him as Alisaie perceived the truth of it.

“Listen well. We exist at the pleasure of one divine will. And the word of Bahamut is absolute!”

“Save it, shitbag.” Nero snarled. “What is the word of a God to a non believer?”

“Scurry back to your holes, Vermin.” Louisoix replied, contempt dripping from every word. “You have been granted this one reprieve. But should you be so foolish as the crawl into my lords' domain again, I will crush the life from you myself.” 

That dire pronouncement uttered he disappeared as quickly as he came, leaving them alone in cold, unmoving silence.

Arenvald, young enough to know of Louisoix only by the Scions’ stories of him reacted first, approaching Alisaie, and finding her in tears.

“That light in Grandfathers eyes.” she wept. “He is no more. Nothing more than a shade that profanes his nobel memory.”

“Aye.” Arenvald agreed gravely, crouching down to Alisaie's level and looking at her tear streaked face gently. “Let us return to the surface, and see to our wounds. Physical and otherwise.”

Nero nodded, there was nothing more to be done here. The stream of power to the Elder Eikon was dead, the bound Meracydians would soon be so without the systems that sustained them.

In silence the trio left the Second Binding Coil of Bahamut.

 

The decision to spend the night encamped near the entrance to the binding coils had been Alisaie’s, although Nero was thankful for it.

Emerging from beneath ground to find that Alisiae had remembered that Garleans could not quick travel via atheryte, and that an arduous foot journey to the nearest port and a boat ride to rendezvous at sea with a Garlean transport would be particularly unpleasant on top of the aches and pains he was now nursing, had coaxed a genuine smile from Nero.

Albeit one hidden behind his helmet.

A fire crackled merrily at the center of the 4 circled tents. Arenvald set instantly to sharpening his weapon and cleaning his beloved and cherished armor and Alisaie was at once distracted giving Urianger a full report of all that had occurred in the Coils below, allowing Nero to retreat to the privacy of the tent designated for his use.

It was with no small amount of relief that he removed his armor, eyeing the damage its midsection had taken with no small degree of annoyance. He had only just finished repairing it from the last emergency that had left it half battered.

Tiredly he wondered if this was what life had been like for Dainty before fleeing Eorzea for Garlemald.

Always half exhausted from the last emergency before launching full force into the next one. If so it was little wonder she had thrown herself so ardently into the life of a spoiled housewife. Nero never really had been able to understand that, how an Eikon Slayer, someone who belonged so utterly on a battlefield, could find any joy in baking cakes and gardening.

Yet, as his body ached, and protested every movement he made as he removed the black body suit he wore beneath the armor it started to make a little more sense to the blond. Right then if someone offered him the choice of making flan and fighting Nael dues Darnus again Nero felt strongly that he would have chosen making a bloody flan.

It was somewhat hit or miss whether he chose to wear small clothes beneath his black bodysuits and today was a miss, leaving him sky clad.

Nakedness bothered him not, the temperature in Northern Thanalan was pleasant, and there was a small lantern in one corner, lit with a fire shard that was giving off a calming degree of heat and light. Nero had a tendency to wander around his modest home in a similar state, finding the lack of clothing freeing, unsurprising for someone who was entombed in all-encompassing armor for most of the day.

He was just debating his chances of tracking down a bucket of water and some soap for a wash, as achingly primitive as that was for someone accustomed to living with full indoor plumbing, when the flap at the entrance of his tent opened and Alisaie admitted herself blithely offering;

“There is dinner to be had, do you need any more he….ah! ” She trailed off with a gasp, realizing Nero was naked.

“No!” Nero growled blue eyes widened in shock and covering himself with his hands before adding; “No. No no. No no no.” because his brain was not yet capable of processing anything other than his instant and total refusal to be party to this turn of events. 

The last thing he needed out of this trip was to return home the Garlemald with a rumor of being inappropriate with a child following him.

He had no actual idea how old Alisaie was, he could only assume Elezen’s matured at a different rate than other races as she spoke and acted with the maturity of someone well into her teens, or early twenties even though she looked all of 12 years old.

He had never thought of her as anything other than a child. A particularly well spoken and mature child, granted, but a child none-the-less.

Alisaie stumbled back and landed squarely on her rump, her neck craning back to look up at the naked Garlean who now seemed to tower over her.

“Sorry! Sorry!!” she blurted out, flushing to the tips of her ears before scrambling to her feet and fairly bolting from the tent like a startled newly hatched chocobo.

 _ok …no one saw that, right?_ -Nero drew in a breath, staring at the space where she had been. His eyes flashed left and right, making sure he was alone before relaxing out of his frozen, startled position with a relieved huff.

 _Righ_ t– Nero gave himself a shake, reaching for the simple war leathers he had brought to change into. Clearly privacy in Garlemald and privacy in Eorzea were two very different things.

Nero decided he was going to chalk the entire thing up to a momentarily lack of thought Alisaie’s part to wander into someone’s private chamber unannounced, acknowledge that she was honestly probably just trying to be helpful and then never think of it again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! I was not expecting to be able to make that work but, there we go. The second coil of Bahamut from the perspective of 1 foul mouthed Tribunus Laticlavus, with a little humor at the beginning and the end to try smooth out some of the jumpy bits where I utterly fail at writing action sequences.


	18. Love On The Brain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dainty and Cid have a thing for willow groves.  
> Hein has a thing for Cirinia.

Hien’s slow careful steps made little noise as he walked through the halls of Doma Castle. One hand rested on the sword at his hip, although injured and unable to properly wield it at that moment he preferred to have it than not.

The weight of it was comforting in its familiarity.

Hein was not inclined to over dramatics but he honestly felt he might be able to say that his sword was the only thing that made sense these past few days.

A Garlean loyal but Doman born Shadow gave him an Imperial Salute as he walked by which Hien answered with only the faintest inclination of his head. Not a week ago that same Doman Shadow would have gladly put a shiv through his heart, yet a single command from Viceroy Leveilluer, weighted by the full backing of the Emperor of Garlemald, stayed the Shadow’s hand in an instant.

 _Such inarguable power._ – Hien mused, his other hand raised, and dragged along the ornately painted walls gently. It was both awe inspiring and terrifying and the idea of attempting to ally oneself with such staggering power in a way that benefitted both was mentally and emotionally exhausting.

The conundrum set before himself and Alphinaud was possibly the most challenging battle Hien had ever faced, and he had stood against a literal army of Xaela warriors to win the Nadaam.

Almost every night they had sat up late, discussing the best plan to capitalize on the opportunity Doma had been offered. Alphinaud felt certain that Gaius zos Baelsar would not be so magnanimous a second time, and that his gratitude for Alphinaud’s assistance in removing the tempering would fade into memory quickly. Therefore any plans for Doman Independence must be fool-proof from the start with every possible detraction or problem covered and compensated for.

It could not detriment Garlemald in any way, and must be presented in a way that seemed a boon to the super power.

Anything else and the Emperor would assuredly dismiss it instantly.

Hien was grateful too that Alphinaud had thought to repay the Resistance so generously. Hein had to consider that, if the situation were reversed, had he been in Alphinaud’s shoes, the favour he might have requested of Gaius would have been one of vengeance against those that harmed his family.

Hien being appointed as Viceroy to replace Yotsuyu was a foregone conclusion in the interim, and Hien wondered if this was how his Father had felt. Once a home, it now felt like a gilded prison. Yet, for the good of his people, he had no choice but to be incarcerated there.

At least as Viceroy he had some measure of control over the soldiers who would be stationed in Doma for the foreseeable future.

Alphinaud had voiced that the very first step to be taken must be that all of the troops, from the highest Secutor to the lowest Laquierus. They must be cycled out of Doma and replaced with fresh, preferably Doman, faces. Anyone who had enjoyed Yotsuyu’s violent policies a little too much must be removed from Doma before they could further victimize it’s population.

There were plenty of Domans in Garlemald who had been forcibly conscripted into the Imperial army, and even some who had joined for the lure of citizenship. Those that wished to return to their homeland would be more than enough of a force to police the region, without oppressing it, for long enough that there was no resulting power struggle, or descent into anarchy.

Alphinaud had felt confident that Lord Gaius would agree with this piece of the stratagem quickly, as it served his own purposes of bringing Garlean troops home to Garlemald. Everything else from there might take years before it made noticeable changes in Doma itself. They would have to start almost entirely from scratch, rebuilding industries that had once been the envy of their neighbors.

Doman weavers and craftsmen were once the gold standard by which everything was judged but so many of the most skilled artisans had lost their lives in the Occupation and resistances. So many of their apprentices had been forced into menial, slave labor and their nascent skills corroded by disuse.

Even if the order to cycle out the troops was given tomorrow it would likely be long after Hein’s lifetime that Doma was restored to what it once was before Solus zos Galvus and his warmachina came knocking.

At least as Viceroy Hien could make small but immediate changes, he could stop the soldiers from abusing the population until those with a desire too could be fully removed. He could put an end to the pillage of their men and woman for slave labor and worse.

Hein’s eyes lit on Dainty and Cirina crossing the hall and he instinctively drew behind a pillar so that he could follow them, unseen. The pair had retreated to one of the libraries after breakfast that morning and Cid had reported that they were having an intense and private “Au’Ra’s only” talk when he went to check on them a few hours later.

The Au’Ra pair, matched now with pink hair, were giggling prettily between themselves.

Pale scaled, long haired Dainty was clad in a pretty sky blue kimono, embroidered with white and grey cranes with faint touches of red detailing while dark scaled, short haired Cirina was her almost exact opposite in a red kimono with gold and blue lotus sprinkled liberally across the fabric folds.

The sight of the delicate, scaled Au’Ra's clad in traditional Doman attire stole his breath.

He desperately wished he could have seen Dainty in battle against Susano.

The way Cid described it was inspiring but Hien could not lie to himself, it was the Au’Ra herself that impressed him most. All that terrifying power, yet she wore silk robes and pearl hairpins as if she had been born to it. A vaunted warrior of countless battles yet still kind despite all the bloodshed and trauma she had endured.

The Xaela and the Raen paused, embracing tightly momentarily before Dainty moved away from Cirina, leaving the short haired, dark scaled woman by a railing.

Hien could easily assume that Dainty had gone in search of Cid. The pair were due to depart that afternoon following an urgent communication from Garlemald and had spoken of rendezvousing in the Willow Grove one last time before they left Doma.

It was Cid that had convinced Hien that Emperor Solus zos Galvus and Emperor Gaius zos Baelsar were two very different breeds of Garlean enough for the Doman to accept Alphinaud’s plans, and the Viceroy position. Not by anything that Cid had said but just by his good nature. His existence proved to Hien that Garleans were not all rotted and evil to the core.

The Engineer had been nothing but amicable, kind, and jovial. He and Dainty mostly stayed out of the conversation regarding the future of Doma but on occasion Cid would interject with comments on Gaius’ personality and how to pander to it in order to achieve their goals more readily.

Cid’s knowledge of Garlean society was also far more extensive than anyone else present, and he could be relied upon to give an honest opinion on ways Doma might extract resources from Garlemald until such time as they could produce their own. Cid had been of a mind that tourism might be helpful, pointing out that weather in the north of Islaberd tended towards the extremes. Blisteringly hot in summer and bitingly cold in winter.

Dainty and Cirina’s instant love of the kimonos gave some credence to the idea that Doman textiles could once again be a lucrative export for the country.

Hein’s pride had been a little stung at the idea of once proud Doma becoming little more than a playground for the visiting Garleans but Gosetsu, who had lived through both Kien and Hien’s rebellions, calmly and firmly counselled his Lord to put aside this pride. It was worth the risk to give the Doman people a chance to know peace, once and for all.

Let them who had suffered most at Garlean’s hands decide for themselves if they had too much pride to accept Garlean coin.

Gosetsu was understandably skeptical of the situation, and the word of any Garlean but he did trust Alphinaud, and Yugiri’s Shinobi. Gosetsu also kept returning to the thought that if Gaius had managed to raise such a “son” as Cid, and fully sanctioned a mixed-race marriage then there must be some truth to Dainty’s belief that Gaius was not like the other Garlean Emperors. That there was a difference between an Imperial and a Garlean.

The endorsement of one so clearly favoured by the Kami as Dainty was was hard to argue with, in Gosetsu’s opinion.

Dainty clearly adored her Garlean husband, and Cid clearly adored his Au’Ra wife.

The Roegadyn fully admitted he might not have been able to accept a wife with scales yet Cid was frequently seen stroking those on the backs Dainty’s wrists and hands absent-mindedly, obviously finding the sensation of them beneath his fingertips comforting.

Hein’s thoughts on a wife with scales ran more alongside Cid’s than Gosetsu’s.

A breathe of wind swept some choppy pink fringe into Cirina’s pale green eyes and she brushed them away gracefully. She rested a hand against a pillar for balance, leaning out into empty space to get a better look at something in the expansive orchards and groves.

Hein longed to join her at the railing. He would sell his soul to any Kami he could name to feel her skin and scales under his hands as he pressed her up against the pillar as he kissed her over and over. He was impressed by Dainty, he would never deny it but his heart and mind and body ached for Cirinia in a way he had never known.

Cirinia had not to blessing of the Kami, she had not Dainty’s terrifying power, yet never faltered, or hesitated to stand at his side. Her bravery at the Nadaam, in face of such seemingly insurmountable odds and her presence of mind, to drag him from Susano’s lair when another might have descending to panic was inspiring.

Hien only hoped he could be half as incredible as he thought Cirinia, and desperately wanted to tell her so over and over for the rest of their lives. He wanted to ask her to stay in Doman, to tell her that he needed her strength and her kindness at his side through all that came next.

He may yet need saving a third time and her hands were the only thing capable of it.

But his guilt held Hien in place.

It seemed criminal to ask a nomadic Mol to be incarcerated in the Doman Palace with him, to bind herself to a place so foreign, to leave all she had known so abruptly. And at only 19, yet to fully savor the fleeting taste of freedom her sojourn in Doma had given her.

Her people belonged to the Steppe, free to move with the winds and sun and the grasslands.

He pushed down all sense of longing for the Au’Ra and finally felt capable of joining Cirina at the railing and not instantly reaching for her.

She gave a start in surprise, having not heard him approach and blushed guiltily. In an instant Hein saw why.

She had been spying on Cid and Dainty who no doubt fully believed they were alone, or at least were protected from view by the thick, overhanging branches of the willows if their heated kisses were any indication. From any other angle they likely would have gone unseen but the balcony was positioned at just the right height that, by leaning out on tip toe, Cirina could peep down through the willow branches at the couple.

“Leave them be, Cirina.” Hien scolded softly, turning away and ceding the couple their privacy.

“Alright, Hein.” Cirina murmured softly giving the lovers one last look. She found the couple as curious as Gosetsu did although Cirinia could certainly understand how Dainty found Cid attractive. He was handsome, for someone without scales and during their chat earlier Dainty had mentioned certain benefits to not having to compensate for the position of two tails when desiring to be close to one another. Cirinia smiled sweetly at Hien, finding his lack of scales not at all unpleasant; “Where does my khagan wish I go?”

_Surely she did not mean that to sound quite so sexual. Surely., _\- Hein felt his heart beat skip - _Then again, perhaps she did. She had been spending a rather large amount of time with Lady Garlond…No, you are a fool and your wishful thinking is making you hear things.___

__Hien offered Cirina his arm, chastising himself sharply not to see things that were not there._ _

__“Let us join Alphinaud and Gosetsu in the front room sitting room.”_ _

__“My Lord.” Cirinia acquiesced, tucking her hand into the crook of his good arm, the other still quite tender and injured. Her pale eyes lingered on his face in a way Hien couldn’t explain as he escorted he through the halls and all of a sudden he was not so sure he was only imagining her to have an affection for him because he wanted her to._ _

__Alphinaud and Gosetsu made for a spectacularly miss matched pair, the giant Roegadyn samurai and the slender Elezen Arcanist sat on opposite sides of a checkers board, Alphinaud was deep in contemplation of what he hoped would be a winning strategy while Gosetsu drank liberally from a white ceramic cup of hot sake._ _

__The smiles they greeted Hien and Cirinia with were similarly welcoming however._ _

__“I see you have located one of the 2 pink haired Au’Ra currently dwelling in this castle.” Gosetsu commented, his loud voice not quite as innocent as it should have been. “Did you have a nice walk, my Lord?”_ _

__“Quite, thank you.” Hien replied, assuming the Generals cheeky smile was because he was aware of Hien's crush on Cirina. He never could hide much from Gosetsu._ _

__“I hope you were wise enough to avoid the willow grove. Dainty was meeting Cid out there and neither of them can be trusted alone with the other for even an ilm.” Alphinaud added saucily and slightly disapproving._ _

__Gosetsu tutted at him;_ _

__“Let them enjoy being married, child. They are here under the auspices of their honeymoon.”_ _

__“We may have witnessed the beginnings of a particular passionate moment before we turned away. Who can say from this distance.” Crinia offered, innocently before turning her face up to Hein gratefully. “I am not sure how Gosetsu and Dainty move so effortlessly in these strange wooden shoes but I do much better with your arm to lean upon.”_ _

__“You could say geta take some getting used to.” Alphinaud commented earning him a groan from Gosetsu._ _

__“It would be my pleasure to escort you to your room to change, Cirina. Especially after that terrible pun.” Hein offered and she gave him a brilliant smile that twisted his heart in his chest. It did not seem entirely innocent and left him questioning as they walked the halls. He fumbled for a pleasant topic of conversation, reminding himself firmly that she would leave shortly and not to get himself twisted around. He had so much to do, and to focus upon. A niggling crush on the kind Xaela was the least of his concerns at that moment. “Your friends back on the Steppe will be most jealous at the fineries you carry home, although I wonder if the weather will ever be warm enough to wear them.”_ _

__Seeing the neatly hung kimono in the room Cirina was currently calling hers made Hien recall that The Azim Steppe was a bitterly cold, harsh landscape even in the “summer” months._ _

__“Does my khagan wish me to leave?” Cirina asked softly, her pale eyes seeming very large in her face._ _

__“No, Cirina, of course not. I only thought you must be longing for your Homeland by now and your Grandmother will surely be missing you. It has been most kind of you to remain here these 5 moons but I am healing well now.” Hein offered._ _

__Cirina sat down on her bed and let her feet slide out of the uncomfortable wooden shoes she wore. She pressed her hands between her knees, shoulders raising up slightly as if to protect her as she hunched in a little on herself. She had always been quiet, and somewhat shy until she got to know someone yet she was a warrior capable of earning her place at the Nadaam._ _

__When she needed to she had plenty of the tenacity and determination needed to stand up for herself, as she had proven to Magnai Oronir once or twice. She was not the ethereal wisp many thought her to be._ _

__Still, it was hard to admit that her family had discarded her for defying them._ _

__It made her feel like dead grass. Useless and unusable for anything, not even making a sleeping mat._ _

__Had she no value at all, to be so easily thrown away over a simple disagreement?_ _

__“Dainty says I must be honest with you.” Cirina began, her quiet, high pitched voice surprisingly similar to the one Dainty adopted when being deceitful. Cirina knew it was good advice, even if she was not as comfortable or at ease with the notion._ _

__“Have you not been?” Hein frowned, sitting beside the downcast Xaela, her tail drooping sadly on the bed next to her._ _

__Cirina shook her head;_ _

__“The Gods did not will that I travel to the Ruby Sea with you.”_ _

__Hein’s dark eyes widened in surprise, and alarm, not failing to perceive the gravity behind her confession._ _

__Cirina’s tribe, the Mol, were worshipers of the Elder Gods, Azim and Nhaama. They consulted with their deities via the Khatun for all decisions, including even what they would eat that day. The current Khatun was Cirina’s Grandmother and during his time there Hien had grown to understand that Cirina would lead the tribe once Temelun felt her hearing growing too weak to perceive what the Gods spoke._ _

__As Khagan of the Azim Steppe he had had full rights to order any and all Warriors of any Steppe tribe into battle beside him. He had not questioned for a moment that the pink haired archer had been there, strong and steadfast, on the day they moved against the Red Kojin. Cirina had made no mention of her defiance of her Grandmothers proclamations and Hein had had no reason to suspect that she was behaving contrary to the religion in which she had been raised._ _

__It was her small hands that had borne him to safety twice now. Hands that were now clasped between her knees to hide their shaking._ _

__“Cirina, why did you not say something? I would have told you to stay at Mol Iloh.” Hein scolded, then quickly tried to amend his tone. What was done was done as the Kami willed it. It was neither the time nor the place for chastising. He took one of her hands and gripped it tightly. “Never mind my unthinking words, pray forget them at once. I am intensely grateful you did not tell me for my life was saved because of it. Thank you for telling me this now.”_ _

__Guilt settled into Hein’s stomach once more. Cirinia was not the first to give up her home, kith and kin for Doma, and his cause._ _

__Yugiri had been born below the Ruby Sea, and devoted herself to Doman Independence, even though in doing so she had been exiled from Shisui of the Violet Tides and forbidden to ever return, or see her parents again. Hein still regretted that Yugiri had been buried in Doma, rather than returned to her parents although Dainty spoke of having visited them after her battle with Susano. In reward for defeating him the great Kami had blessed her with the ability to breathe underwater._ _

__“Please consider Doma your new home for the rest of your days, Cirinia. I owe you much and I will be glad to finally be able to repay you for all you have done.”_ _

__He would be glad for her continued presence in his life, even as nothing more than a valued advisor. The nomadic Mol were masters of substance farming, finding resources even where all others believed there to be none._ _

__Her skills in that endeavor could only be a boon to a population whose experts had been killed and the strongest of them culled._ _

__To Hien’s surprise Cirinia shook her head firmly, retracting her hand from his with a small smile._ _

__“If I stay in Doma it will not be because I have nowhere else to go, Lord Hien. Dainty has very kindly offered that I go with her, to the home she shares with her husband, and live there for as long as I desire to do so.”_ _

__“In Garlemald?!”_ _

__“Yes.”_ _

__Hein could not imagine a place Cirina would be more miserable, although he had never witnessed it with his own eyes he could extrapolate from the Warmachina they created that Garlemald must be very grey, austere and metallic. There were few places that would be so wholly different to the vast, open green plains of the Steppe Cirina had been born and raised upon._ _

__“So that is what you and Dainty were speaking of so seriously this morning.” Hein observed. No wonder the pair had embraced as beloved sisters earlier._ _

__“Yes. She has experienced so much, and helped me put my chaotic thoughts in a much more sensible order than they once were. She speaks plainer than I am used to but sometimes it is very sensible to do so.”_ _

__“There is certainly something to be said for her directness.” Hein agreed._ _

__“I should very much like to stay in Doma, Hein but not if I cannot stay with you. I have not the fortitude of heart required to watch you rebuild your country and not be the one by your side.” Cirinia admitted softly, eyes wide and vulnerable but holding his dark eyes confidently. “Perhaps others are so selfless but I am not.”_ _

__“Cirinia…”_ _

_I wasn’t imagining things. The Kami be praised, she feels the same as I do._

__“But you must not feel obligated to agree out of guilt, if that is not what you would truly desire.” Cirinia cut him off quickly, not yet done addressing all the points that she felt must be made clear before Cid and Dainty left so that, if necessary, she could join them on their transport back to Garlemald. “I made my own choice quite willing, knowing full well what it might cost me. Grandmother is not used to being defied but although the Gods told may have told her one thing, they told me something very different!”_ _

__The smile grew a little more confident, “I will be quite well if I go. Dainty spoke in most glowing terms about her home, and that the other Scions would be glad to welcome me. Raen and Xaela have, historically, not been the best of friends but I think Dainty was quite excited to have the company of another Au’Ra and…”_ _

__“I want you to stay, Cirina. Not because the Kami dictate all debts must be paid but because I want you to stay.” Hein touched her scaled hand, and when she did not pull away he interlaced his fingers with hers. A small, hopeful smile hovered over her pretty, pink lips. “My people have lost much and the following years will be difficult but all can be endured if you are by my side.”_ _

__“Oh Hein!” she flung herself into his arms, knocking them both the bed, and the breath out of him. He might have been healing well but he wasn’t quite healed enough for that. “Sorry!”_ _

__He quickly flipped them over, laying alongside her and gathering her up as best he could with his good arm and using the other to cup her cheek tenderly._ _

__“Please stay with me?” Hein asked breathlessly._ _

__Cirinia giggled, angling her mouth up to be kissed;_ _

__“As my khagan wishes.”_ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And thus concludes our Doma adventures, now, back to Garlemald for our scheduled amount of Gaius being a swot.


	19. When I'm With You All I Get Is Wild Thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Attempted swottiness?  
> Swottiness failed.

Fidget, fidget, fidget.

Tataru looked up from the list of roses varietals at the tall, white haired man fussing with the coffee maker in the kitchen and gave a knowing grin.

Cid set aside the coffee maker, deciding he really didn’t need more caffeine anyway. Maybe he was hungry. Maybe some pie would distract him.

As Alisaie had predicted Dainty had made an immediate dash for Castrum Abania the second they were returned to Garlemald and she was given a detailed report of the situation and who Alisaie suspected was being held there.

Cid had logically realized that this would happen from time to time, Dainty having to go alone on a mission for the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. His wife was the Warrior of Light and he swore he was going to respect and support that, even if he was going ever so slightly crazy to be left alone at the Estates, unable to assist her and waiting for her to return.

Tataru shook her head, looking back to her list of calculations. Dainty had set her to the task of figuring out exactly how many rose bushes would be required to rebuild the garden and how much lumber would be needed for a Doman style pagoda for the center of it.

Gaius and Livia had returned to the Summer Villa, Nero and Alisaie had departed for Thanalan to rendezvous with Arenvald and Urianger and Rihtahtyn had always been staying within his own apartments thanks to needing not to convalesce. 

Cid had initially been grateful not to have to deal with so many loud personalities in his personal home and private space but as the hours elapsed and Dainty still did not return from Castrum Abania he was starting to fret.

Rihtahtyn, with the Emperor’s permission, had offered to accompany her with a small contingent of the XIVth but Dainty had preferred to work alone. It would be too easy for people to figure out that the Warrior of Light was in Garlemald if she was seen participating in an assault on a rogue Garlean base with one the Emperor’s personal Tribuni.

A masked, armor clad Auri, alone, fighting her way into Castrum Abania and then leaving again would certainly provoke rumor but would confirm absolutely nothing.

Dainty also felt that there was a fair chance that if she showed up alone she may be able to have Ysayle handed over to her without the need to fight. Regula’s men knew her, and knew what she was capable of. 

She had helped them bury their General at Azys Lla, clearing out one of the few natural caves of hostile occupants so that Regula’s body could be interred into the earth. 

If the occupants of Castrum Abania were going to listen to reason, that there was no point continuing to fight with Zenos and Varis both dead, Dainty felt that she stood the best chance of convincing them that there was no one left to reward their loyalty.

Showing up with even a small contingent of Gaius’ loyal XIVth and 1 of the Tribuni would look too much like a threat and put the already wary, guarded occupants of Castrum AbanIa even more on the defensive.

Dainty honestly did not want to harm Regula’s men and if they would simply give her Ysayle, then bloodshed could be avoided in its entirety.

The banana pie, normally one of Cid’s absolute favorites, did not appeal this time and he closed the ice chest that all the cold foods were stored in. He was fidgeting, and trying to settle on a project to occupy his mind unsuccessfully.

Tataru’s giggles drew his attention and he turned to look at the Lalafell.

“Why don’t you go out? I am sure Dainty would just love to return to a nice bottle of wine.” Tataru suggested gently.

“But then I might not be here when she returns.” Cid fretted, prompting another giggle from Tataru.

“You sound just like Minfilia used to. She would pretend she was fine but she fussed and paced and worried whenever any of the Scions was in the field. It was always the worst with Dainty, usually because Dainty got the most demanding tasks. Still, judging from Minfilia’s reactions one would think Dainty a lost lamb and not a Warrior forged.”

Talking about Dainty seemed to help ease his mind, Cid found, finally managing to stop pacing enough to settling in near the purple haired Lalafel.

“I wish I had known Dainty then, even though such a thing would be impossible. My first impression of her, as a kind, sweet Gentlewoman still lingers with me so that it is jarring to see her suddenly take up a blade as easily as Gaius does.” Cid admitted.

“And for us it is the opposite! Seeing her act a Gentlewoman so easily when we know her a foul mouthed, axe wielding pirate is so odd! Yet, I must say, it is nice to see Dainty being kind again.” Tataru smiled softly.

“Again?” Cid frowned, questioning Tataru’s implications that Dainty had ever not been kind.

“When I first met Dainty she was very sweet. A marauder trained but soft spoken, and happy to help. I used to hate to ask her to do mindless things like deliver messages or gather supplies, it was such a waste of her abilities and so mindless! But Dainty was so kind, and understanding that we would not ask if I did not need the help! She would just nod and depart without complaint. Back then she would socialize with us in the evenings, slowly opening up to us and telling the sort of ribald jokes one would expect a Lominsan pirate.” Tataru’s tone was wistful, remembering simpler times, and friends long lost. “Over time Dainty lost that gentleness she once had, or at least stopped showing it. To be taken seriously as a Warrior, when one looks as Dainty does, there is no room for kindness, or sweetness. The more people brushed her off, the more she grew stubborn. The more people spoke down to her, the more she grew uncaring. She was still willing to do anything the Scions asked but her smiles became so guarded, and eventually they did not come at all. She would go days without speaking to anyone at all unless asked a direct question. Sometimes, the softer, kinder Dainty would peak through, a smile here, a kind word there but sad to say, a lot of the time she could be downright mean, especially if she got a couple drinks in her!”

“I can’t picture Dainty as a mean drunk.”

“Oh, she was! She would say the most provoking things, especially to Thancred and it would take F’lahminn separating them to avoid it getting nasty. We all understood, of course. Papalymo said it best; How could the Scions rely upon her to put herself and her weapon between Eorzea, and all that would bring it low, without accepting that doing so would harden her?”

Something Alphinaud had said in Doma tickled at Cid’s mind. The Elezen had described Dainty as stoic, yet Cid had never found her to be so and had not paid the comment much mind. It made sense now why Alphinaud would assume that Cid would have a hard time reading Dainty’s emotions, as Alphinaud had really only ever known her to be closed off from those around her.

Tataru’s description of a younger Dainty also rang true with what Cid had observed of Dainty himself and reminded him once again that it had been a deliberate choice on her part to be vulnerable and open with him from the very start. She had never not been compassionate, she had just taken to hiding it without a word. Her silently dealing with the Garlean thralls would have been perfectly in character to the Scions, had they witnessed it, even though it had seemed startling to Cid before he fully understood it.

“Perhaps I ought go and get that wine.” Cid mused softly, a thought occurred and a small frown passed his handsome features. “Tataru, do you know if Dainty likes red or white wine?”

Because he still didn’t.

“Dainty likes wine.” Tataru laughed. “I think she prefers sweet reds out of all of them but she will generally drink whatever is handed to her.”

Cid chuckled, relieved to see that even Tataru didn’t know Dainty’s preferences for wine because if the Lalafel who had been her friend for several years did not know then it was not so bad that he, her husband of less than 2 months, also did not know. Tataru pursed her lips, musing a little. “The only alcohol I have ever seen Dainty go out of her way for is a peculiar salt water liquor they make in Limsa Lominsa. I think it tastes vile but Dainty loves it in lemonade. I will always remember Y’Shtola insisting that I track down a bottle every summer.”

Cid recognized the name Y’Shtola and it did not surprise him that the Miqote had been the one to make sure Dainty was furnished with her favorite drink. 

Dainty frequently made her own lemonade, flavoured with a variety of things and Cid liked the idea of finding the liquor for her to put in her drink of choice.

With all the exotic good being imported into the markets currently Cid didn’t think it impossible that an unusual Lominsan liquor might have made its way to Garlean shores, and it would certainly give him something to do while Dainty was occupied. Likely the Auri would be a while yet. Once Dainty rescued Ysayle Iceheart she still had to co-ordinate safely getting the Elezen back to the Dragons of Anyx Tryn where she would be safe.

Tataru had sent a hasty communication to Ser Aymeric de Borel in Ishgard for that endeavor but otherwise could not help lest those that hunted the Scions realized that they had allies in Foundation. Ishgards’ hard won peace was fragile enough without Lima Lominsa, Gridania and Ul’Dah attempting to coerce answers from them about why certain purple haired Lalafels and axe welding Au’Ras were seen within the frigid city.

Even if she did return while he was gone Cid realized that other than his own clinginess there was no reason that was a bad thing. She might enjoy the quiet to take a bath or tend to her curls to be surprised with a drink later.

The Primus pilus who once guarded to compound gates with an almost fanatical devotion were now a lot more relaxed, having removed most of their armor in deference to the heat, and loitering in the shade. They gave Cid lazy Garlean salutes as he exited the compound on a Magitek Reaper. Cid had found 5 of them, freshly built in a neat line by his workshop which proved convenient as the quick travel system in the City had been damaged during the Eikon attack and, with Cid being sent to Doma, no one had yet been capable of repairing it.

Tataru had smirked and informed Cid that Nero had been a trifle bored while convalescing there, utterly unable to dig up any dirt, or steal any designs thanks to her ingenuity. With nothing but reaper parts to occupy his time Nero had assembled 5 fully functional and precisely tuned reapers. One of them hard started to be painted white, suggesting it would be Livia’s new personal Reaper since hers was lost in the rubble of the palace but Nero had been dispatched with Alisaie before the work could be completed.

A glance in his Workshop had revealed to Cid that Nero had not bothered to repair Livia’s armor, only his own. The battered, damaged white ensemble had been left scattered around the benches with a note “try not to ruin it any worse.” in Nero’s neat, precise script. Cid had chuckled but ultimately been too distracted with Dainty being absent to think much on it.

It had been a long time since Cid had had the freedom to take a Reaper for a leisurely run through the city, the air in his face was warm as spring turned into summer, bringing with it the scents of spices and many things cooking in various outdoor stalls 

He passed by a restaurant that claimed to serve authentic noodles from a Far Eastern city and having only just returned from Doma, where they had eaten exceptionally good local cuisine, Cid considered this a fortuitous find that Dainty might enjoy being taken too. Beside it was another restaurant that boasted Lominsan style seafood.

Cid considered this a good place to start searching for the specialty liquor, drawing the Reaper to a halt and jumping down. The proprietor looked incredibly pleased to be considered by such a noble personage and quickly came to greet him. It was only as Cid started to ask if the owner had ever heard of salt-water liquor that it occurred to him it would be devilishly difficult to explain exactly how he knew about the stuff.

Beyond the compound walls Dainty was still known as nothing more than a society wife from the allied City-State of Ishgard who would absolutely not know about a rare liquor favored by Lominsan pirates.

Fortunately the owner was not of a mind to question the Grand Minister of Science and Innovation and each man left the transaction entirely pleased by this turn of events.

Cid was happy with how easy the task had turned out to be and the owner was frankly relieved to get rid of a couple bottles of product that sold only very rarely, even going so far as to hand write the recipe for the correct way to serve the liquor out for Cid.

As he remounted the Reaper it occurred to Cid he was being stared at far less than he had been in the past, which seemed off since the Reaper was a luxury that most did not possess, and should have provoked stares of its own as only the upper echelons of Garlean society could afford to own them for strictly personal use. Generally they were not seen outside of the Imperial Army.

At first he chalked it up to no Dainty by his side, she was a curiosity with her pale scales, striking pastel curls and proclivity for parasols and pretty dresses. The reason for the disinterest in him quickly became apparent, however, as Cid approached the Markets to see a crowd of excited people peering at the Emperor, strolling casually through the City.

Rhitahtyn sas Arvina, ever Gaius’ shield, was vigilantly on guard a few paces ahead of Gaius and a decurion of XIVth were at the Emperor’s back. The man himself was fully armored and helmeted, his gun-blade at his hip, although the hands clasped lightly behind his back gave him a nonchalant air.

It was all for show, of course.

Propaganda to reassure the general population that Emperor Gaius zos Baelsar was hale, hearty and very much still in command of the Imperial Army and the Imperial City.

Livia sas Junius, who was still bearing wounds and her armor utterly ruined by the sheer level of damage it had taken keeping the woman alive, was absent from the outing. Cid was glad to see Gaius’ armor stood not in need of repair or recalibration.

Armor fell under the same auspices as weapons for Cid, in that he preferred not to make anything that could be used to take life and Gaius armor most certainly enabled him to do that with ease. As Gaius’ armor was a one of a kind, superior set created by Midas nan Garlond Cid did not like his chances of refusing to repair it if Gaius ordered him to do so, Dainty or not.

Especially now that Gaius could reply that Nero was unavailable due to assisting Dainty’s friends.

Cid was glad too to see Gaius up and about so easily. Seeing the man out and about in public enough to distract Cid momentarily so that he jumped down from the Reaper and pushing through the crowd to approach Gaius with a salute, and a quick bow.

Protocol dictated Cid should, even though he forgot to do so a lot of the time.

It was hard to remember to salute someone when your earliest memory of them was your Father drawing a vulgar picture on their face after they passed out from too many strong cocktails. Gaius might be the Emperor now but when Cid was a boy the man had not yet even made the rank Legatus and had been as irreverent and crude as one might expect of a Military career man.

“Fall in, Cid nan Garlond.” Gaius’s voice, friendly despite being slightly distorted by the mask, answered Cid’s greeting and Cid fell into step beside Gaius was ordered. “What are you doing here?”

“I was looking for booze for when Dainty gets home.” Cid laughed.

“Ah.” Gaius rumbled, he had noticed quite a few women in the crowd were wearing their hair in curls, or dyed mint green. Unsurprisingly for the culture of Garlemald society wives tended to inform the Fashion choices of the general populace. Behind his mask his eyes strayed to the Allagans weapon strapped to the highest part of the cliff face that encircled the east side of Garlemald.

With everything that occurred Gaius had finally remembered that Cid had gotten it firing long enough to put a whole through an Eikon.

“Where do we stand with that, anyway?” Gaius questioned, pointing to it.

“We stand about 318 malms away.” Cid replied, with a grin which he quickly smothered seeing that he was talking to the Emperor not Gaius. He cleared his throat. “Sorry. I do know how to make it fire via use of Nero’s Red Baron but I am honestly not sure if it could handle doing so again without exploding. I also still cannot aim it.”

“I am amused, Cid,” Gaius began in a tone that was not at all amused. “That in all the years you have had access to that weapon you have never felt particularly motivated to make it work. Apparently putting your bed warmer in mortal danger is how things get done around here.”

Cid felt his jaw clench reflectively but bit back the response that rose to his mouth, knowing that the Emperor was goading him. He had several issues with what Gaius had said primarily of which was Dainty being so disrespectfully referenced as a “bed warmer.”

Gaius smirked, he did so enjoy pushing Cid's buttons; “Oh, didn’t like that, did you? I know you want to retort.”

“You know bloody well I can’t.” Cid replied coolly, struggling to be calm. Any reference to it being Dainty, not Gaius and the Tribuni that had felled Varis’ Eikon could not be spoken in public.

“Go on. Out with it.” Gaius taunted the chances of them being overheard above the clank of the armor and the noise of the crowded Markets was unlikely.

“I should be gratified if the Emperor would remember my bed warmer turned heel and ran towards mortal danger to save every person I have ever considered a friend, without heed or hesitation, including an Emperor she has no loyalty too.” Cid had no idea why Gaius was being so provoking but quickly put two and two together when a familiar set of pink curls approached them, escorted by Rihtahtyn.

Dainty had returned to the city and found the airship landing under heavy guard by the XIVth adhering to the strict security protocols required when the Emperor of Garlemald was on foot within the city. Fortunately communication between the troops, who all wore helmets capable of sending and receiving messages instantaneously had allowed the Prilori to inform Lady Garlond that her husband was currently with the Emperor, and solicit Rhitahtyn sas Arvina’s permission for the Auri to be brought to her husbands’ side.

Helmeted, Gaius had heard the entire co-ordination effort and had manipulated Cid into referring to Dainty disrespectfully in her hearing, setting them up for an argument for his own amusement.

Fortunately for Cid, however, Gaius had reckoned not with how little Dainty cared for insults and words. Actions were what mattered to her. So long as no one was trying to kill her or her loved ones they could call her whatever they pleased, in her opinion, it just rolled off her anyway.

“The bed-warmer is done shopping.” Dainty spoke in light tones, curtsying to Gaius. It wasn’t entirely a lie, she had ducked into a store to trade out her heavy war leathers for a pretty, weather appropriate dress and it gave a convenient excuse for her appearance in the Markets. The thin straps and short skirt exposing lustrous scales that picked up the afternoon sunshine, pale pink curls dancing about her shoulders as she tipped her head up to smile at Cid, and rested her hand on his arm lightly. “Can go home now, please, husband?”

“If my Lord is done with me?” Cid asked Gaius with a slight bow.

“Yes, go away.” Gaius snorted, smirking, assuming that Dainty would read Cid the riot act the second they were out of ear shot but was disappointed when she interlaced her hand with Cid’s happily. Gaius knew she was a good actress but her lack of concern not seem fake.

“I apologize for what you overheard.” Cid said softly, leading her to where he had parked the Reaper.

“If Gaius is of a mind to cause trouble he really ought remember that he has a bit of my Echo in him. At this range I knew what he was angling for afore he ever opened his mouth.”

“You can read Gaius’ mind?!” Cid started violently, staring at her, wide eyed.

“I know not his exact thoughts but the echoes of his soul, his intentions, are clear to me. I knew not the words he would say before he uttered them but I knew why he was saying them. Unfortunately for Gaius I like being called your bed warmer. You are my husband, who else ought be warming your bed?” Dainty giggled.

“Dainty, I could kiss you.” Cid said, relieved, lifting her up into the Reaper. She could climb herself easily enough but he liked the excuse to put his arms around her in public and it meant Dainty could occupy her hands keeping her somewhat short skirt from lifting up in the breeze. Cid was considerably twitchy about making any more mistakes that might lead her to withdraw from him, even if things were going well for the moment.

“You can if you like. I don’t mind being smooched in public.” Dainty smirked, she still wasn’t entirely sure his personal boundaries with public displays of affection. 

Sometimes he didn’t seem to mind it, other times he gave the impression of being shy. She leaned over the side of the Reaper so that they were at eye level and Cid could press his mouth against hers in a sweet, soft, romantic kiss.

Cid didn’t glance over his shoulder to see if Gaius was annoyed by this, not wanting to encourage the man to try harder to cause strife between them but he was tempted to. Instead he climbed up into the Reaper, at first he thought to sit behind her, letting his arms circle her so that she could lean against his chest and then quickly realizing that was a fool hardy endeavor unless he wished that spiked tail to rub up against him in some possibly painful ways.

“Mind your tail.” He chuckled, Dainty shifted back quickly, sweeping the skirt of her dress against her legs tightly so that she could comfortably wrap her legs around him. 

The skirt was pretty but the fabric was not thick, or particularly voluminous, as one might expect for something designed for a warm climate and it gave little resistance to the efforts of riding pillion on the Reaper.

The Reaper lurched as it moved from prone to rider ready position, throwing Dainty against Cid’s back a little. She didn’t mind, Dainty quite liked Cid's back. It was a nice back, muscular, and well formed. Dainty quite liked it all of Cid, if she was honest, and told him so frequently to see him blush and mumble that that she was overwhelming him.

She wrapped her arms around his midsection happily as Cid set the Reaper into motion.

He gave a smile, feeling her small arms encircle him, her palms pressed flat against the top of his abdominal muscles but mostly paying attention to steering the Reaper silently as he carefully navigated through the heavy crowds.

Dainty didn’t mind the slow place, pressing a kiss to one shoulder blade, the lightweight cotton of his shirt offering little barrier to the warmth of her lips. Cid had a tendency to dress in simple white t-shirts, worn tight with a low enough scoop neck that just a hint of collar bone peaked out. He had offered to dress differently for her. 

She preferred a modish style for herself and Cid would not have minded if she had wanted him to dress a little more stylishly. 

She was the one looking at him after all.

Fortunately for Cid Dainty had told him “don’t you bloody dare” which had been entirely flattering.

“Did your Echo show why Gaius is being a pissant, by chance?” Cid questioned as the crowds began to part enough to increase the speed of the Reaper’s gait.

A little shiver went up his spine at the feeling of Dainty's lips lingering on his body, even through the fabric of his shirt.

“Nero got in his ear and insinuated that you like me more than you are loyal to him.” Dainty murmured, nuzzling her face into his spine, and pressing a lingering kiss there.

“Fucking Nero.” Cid muttered, annoyed by Nero and Gaius being manipulative.

Dainty’s echo had saved Gaius and Nero from being tempered. The fact there wasn’t a Primal rampaging around Garlemald was her doing. They should have been kissing her feet not interfering in her affairs, in Cid’s opinion.

Her arms tightened on him a little, her body straightening to press her breasts tightly against his back, resting her cheek against him and watching the city go by.

Cid cleared his throat, suddenly finding it difficult to remember what they had been talking about, only that Dainty's body was winsomely pressed against his and the sooner he got her home the sooner she might be amenable to letting him peel her out of that dress.

“Did you find what you were looking for at Castrum Abania?”

“Oh yes. Ysayle will awake to find herself in safe in Azys Lla, and Aymeric will treat her kindly, if Estinien doesn't do it himself first.” Dainty mused. They had agreed that would be the best place to awaken Ysayle, who was contained in a Garlean pod that kept her in torpor.

Azys Lla was likely the last place she had consciousness since that was where she fell to Regula’s warship so waking her there would provoke the least confusion for her.

One of Dainty’s hands crept down a little as the Reaper swayed a little.

It moved over a rough patch of ground, they were passing in front of the ruins of the palace and the ground here was uneven and broken. 

Cid felt Dainty clutch him a little tighter, one hand moving up towards his pectoral muscles, the other moving yet a little further down his front. Her hand was coming perilously close to inappropriately near to his crotch and behind the fly of his pants his cock twitched in anticipation.

He almost groaned aloud, feeling her body moving sinuously against him as she kept balance in the jolting reaper. Her hands moved abruptly to his thighs and she dragged her fingernails up them playfully.

“Hi, there!” Cid blurted out, slightly startled at her boldness even though it was exactly in character for Dainty. She did have a tendency to come on strong with him and he got flustered by it every time.

“Hi.” Dainty agreed, eyes fully wicked and lips lingering on his back. The heat of her kisses was intoxicating to Cid. He considered himself lucky that she found his tendency to be unable to think of anything else to say other that “hi” adorable rather than awkward.

Cid swallowed a sharp exhalation, shifting in place a little to accommodate the growing bulge in the front of his pants. He was getting more than a little aroused by her antics.

“Miss me a little bit?” Cid offered, teasing just a whisker.

Dainty giggled, one hand straying near enough to find its target, settling directly on his groin to cup his slowly swelling length.

“Of course I did, my love.”

Cid stilled, panic lancing down his spine and brain utterly distracted from what her hand was doing by what had said. Dainty felt him go very rigid in her arms and slackened her grip on his torso, retracting her south bound hand. “To far?”

The design of the Reaper and the speed at which they were traveling meant that none happening to glance in their direction would have any idea of what she had been up to, but that did not necessarily make Cid comfortable with it.

Dainty was aware that, of the two of them, she was the far more libertine and for more likely to push boundaries.

 _Did she meant to call me that… or did it just slip out? Should I acknowledge it. Should I say it back? What if I say it and she just misspoke. Seven Hells what do I doooooo?!_ – Cid was panicking, staring at the pathway before him, trying to gather his wits and continue piloting the Reaper.

“Uhm...” Cid mumbled, cleared his throat and then said softly; “You just called me my love.”

“I did.” Dainty agreed with a purr, proving that she had done so quite deliberately.

Ser Aymeric had asked her if she was happy when she had met the Elezen Commander at Azys Lla.

When she had described her Garlean husband the Commander had teased her lightly that she sounded like a woman in love and the comment had stuck in her mind the entire journey home until she had, ultimately, come to the conclusion that she did love him.

She liked him best, she wanted him to be happy.

Silence stretched between them as Cid grasped for something to say, trying to quell his momentary panic. She did not seem to mind that he had not instantly returned the affectionate term of address for which he was grateful.

Saying “I love you” seemed too much to Cid.

He wasn’t sure he did. He wasn’t sure he even knew what love would feel like if he was in love with her. He honestly couldn’t remember even his Father ever telling him he loved him. Dainty’s “my love” felt like a gunshot wound in the way it highlighted that he had never heard it before.

“Is it not too soon for love?” Cid managed.

“Within 8 hours of knowing one another we were wed. Within 12 I was sleeping in your arms. Within 24 we were being fully intimate with one another. Too soon is not in our vocabulary.” Dainty pointed out, with a teasing little laugh.

“Fair.” Cid agreed with a small chuckle, grateful for her humor and her humility. Someone else might have been hurt that he did not return the sentiment, their pride stung but Dainty genuinely seemed unconcerned, rubbing her face against his back affectionately.

Cid dared take one hand off the controls to pull her arms around him tightly again. He wanted the affection, and her touches. Dainty giggled then gave a soft whisper of exhaled breath as her body moved against his when the Reaper swayed. 

With her legs splayed open, her body fully contacted against his she could grind against him with a subtle shift of her hips, stimulating herself as she was stimulating him as her hands roam began to roam again.

Dainty's hands stroked his arms, strong enough to heft magitek thrice his own weight. Garleans were naturally quite physically powerful and Cid was no exception.

Her fingertips traced the lines and planes of each muscle before slipping under his shirt to scratch his back and whisper down his spine. Dainty pressed her breasts into his back as her tormenting hands returned to this front.

The sensation of fabric against her over sensitive breasts and nipples as she writhed against his back provoking another sucked in breathe from her.

"That's not distracting or anything” Cid teased darkly, palpably aware of the fact she was as excited as he was.

“Did you think my touches only for your benefit?” Dainty retorted, one hand again finding his cock through the fabric of his pants to stroke and caress him. It swelled lazily at the attention, twitching and throbbing against the fabric and her ministrations. “You underestimate just how attractive I find you.”

“You are going to give me the worst ego, Dainty.” Cid groaned through his teeth just a little. “If I crash this thing and kill us both its your fault.”

“You won't.” Dainty replied, utterly trusting.

He was fully hard by the time they entered the compound and returned the Reaper to beside its brethren. Dainty rose, twisted herself around him and planted herself into his lap, straddling his legs.  
Cid's arms closed around her, kissing her deeply, caught up in her desperate rush.

He slid his hands to her breasts, tugging down the front of her dress and discovering quickly she wasn’t been wearing a bra beneath it as her nipples hardened against his palms. Her pert breasts were perfectly sized for her body and were the perfect handful and Cid was quite enjoying gently reshaping the sensitive flesh to fit.

She gave a little shudder at his ministrations, sipping at his lips.

Dainty ran her hands through his hair, writhing in his lap and grinding herself against him, circling her hips restlessly.

“Gods, I want you.” Dainty murmured against Cid's mouth uncaring that she was hurrying for no good reason other than her own impatience.

He groaned into her mouth. There was few things more arousing to him than when Dainty wanted him so eagerly.

Getting naked in the close confines of the stationary Reaper was a fools game but getting naked enough was entirely possible. Dainty managed to wriggle back enough to grip the waist band of Cid's pants and get down to his knees, freeing his cock.

She lifted her hips, pulling her skirt out of the way with one hand and positioning him at her entrance with the other. She apparently was not wearing panties beneath the dress either.

Cid held his breath on instinct, biting his lip and holding very still as the heat of her cunt drew him in. She was petite, and he was thicker than most.

“You’re so wet.” his tone was a little more wondrous than he intended but it honestly had taken him by surprise she was quite that aroused that quickly.

His hips gave an involuntary jerk and Dainty cried out softly as his head slipped into her before, aiding by gravity and her own wetness, he speared into her incredibly deep with only a pleasurable suggestion of resistance.

“Oh!” Dainty gave another little gasp as his pelvis met hers, stimulating her clit unexpectedly.

Cid pulled her into a hot, heated kiss as she started to move on him, slowly rocking herself up and down his length and feeling his cock pump into her slowly but firmly.

His hands returned to her breasts.

Dainty leaned into the touch, bracing her hands against the sides of the Reaper to ride him, his dick was throbbing and pulsing inside of her.

“mmm...” her head tipped forwards as her body bucked. He was so thick, it felt like she couldn't get her legs wide enough apart to compensate but absolutely loving every second and every onze of sensation.

Cid looked at her, bouncing on his dick, white hot fire lancing down his limbs. His arms closed around her, helping maintain her rhythm, even as she shuddered, moaning softly on every downward snap of her body.

“Gods unhf!.” he answered, gritting his teeth. “Dainty.. the way you move is incredible.”

She flung her head back, looking him in the eye as their bodies rocked together, a lascivious smile painted across her features.

He was getting better at talking to her and she loved it, circling her hips and biting her lip.

Cid pulled her closer, dragging his mouth up her throat and groaning into lips; “The way you fit me should be a crime.” 

He gripped her hips, pulling her down onto him entirely, and holding her there, mouth on the scales at her throat and just luxuriating in the sensation of being so incredibly deep.

“Cid...” Dainty gasped as he sucked on her pulse. “..oh… I love you!”

His cock twitched harder inside her and she felt his muscles tense beneath her as one hand slid up her back to tangle in her hair. Cid hadn't quite expected that to be quite so searingly erotic, to hear those words on her lips while he was buried within her.

“Dainty... I...”

He pulled back a little allowing him to look her in the eyes again. It was hard to think with her wrapped around him like an exquisite vice. He wanted to tell her it was just too scary to say those words yet but he would call her his gladly, and tell her he was hers if she wanted it.

“If you would prefer me not to say it until you are more comfortable?”

“No! Hells no. Never stop saying it!” The ferocity of his response startled him, already deeply attached to being told that she loved him and never wanting to hear else wise. He wanted to be her beloved. Desperately.

His visceral reaction pleased Dainty and she seized Cid's mouth in a kiss.

She ran her hands through his white hair as they kissed, tongues and hands stroking each other desperately as she slowly began to move again. This time holding onto Cid's shoulders rather than the sides of the Reaper and cupping a cheek with one hand as she rocked herself up and down his thick length.

The sensation was too intense, it wasn't long until both were gasping, and breathing hard at the unadulterated pleasure flooding through them.

“I...oh!... I love... I love you...” Dainty mewled, mindless as the intensity started to focus in at her core. It was almost too much stimulation all at once, leaving her barely able to form words.

“My little wife...” Cid managed. He just couldn't get his mouth around “my love” yet.

Dainty squirmed and cried out loudly, she was getting so close. Cid could feel her inner muscles begin to squeeze on him. The feeling was magical, he was finding it hard to hold on himself back, his cock began to throb and buck inside her.

His fingers curled into the fabric of her skirt, pulling her down onto him harder and faster.

Dainty could feel it building faster and faster until to hit her and overwhelmed her.

“Cid!”

Her body arched, giving a final bucking spasm as an orgasm rushed through her. Listening to her pleasured noises was enough to push Cid over the edge too, he couldn’t hold on anymore, her cunt gripping his length.

Dainty felt him release within her, prompting a shiver and soft gasp from her. She flopped against his chest, boneless and languid, burying her face into his neck inhaling the heady scent of male she had grown to associate with Cid.

They sat there for a few moments in pure bliss, breathless and just loosely holding one another.

Cid breathed out, content and honestly happy.

He loved having sex with her, he would never, ever complain about that but the aftermath, laying against one another in perfect intimate silence, feeling her body trembling and lingering inside her, that was the greatest feeling in the world.

He pressed a kiss to her curls, giving a shaky laugh;

“Never thought about doing that on a Reaper before.”

Dainty gave a breathy little giggle;

“First time for everything?”

Truer words had rarely been spoken, Cid felt. His life had been a strange series of first-times ever since Gaius had spoken those fateful words on the Airship Landing; “You requested a loyal wife…So I have brought you one.”

Everything that had occurred in the past couple months rushed through his mind, leaving him less than satisfied with his behavior during their marriage so far.

“Are you happy here, Dainty? In Garlemald, with me?” Cid asked, insecurity plaguing him. The nagging fear that she would leave always floating hazily in the back of his mind. He could imagine her and the twins returning to Eorzea in the future with a disturbing ease.

“Of course I am.” Dainty raised her head. She hardly thought she would be going around addressing him as “love” if she wasn’t. Cid drew her into his arms and hugging her tightly.

“Is there anything more I can do, to keep you happy?”

“You could take your responsibilities as the Grand Minister of Science and Innovation a little more seriously and keep people from meddling in our marriage.” Dainty told him with a scold but there was a smile on her mouth.

“Fair.” Cid acknowledged.

He had been coasting by on Gaius’ guilt at putting Cid under house arrest for his own safety for a long time. He stroked her cheek tenderly, smoothing his thumb across her bottom lip. That beautiful mouth that said such wonderful things. “I don’t feel like I have done anything to deserve being called your love. Not at all. I feel like I’ve been screwing up since the moment I met you on the airship landing, ignoring you in favor of yelling at Gaius like a pillock.”

Dainty gave a soft, sweet laugh, remembering the day well. She pushed herself up to press a sweet kiss to his forehead, just to the left of his Garlean third eye.

“Cid, you don't give yourself enough credit. It takes two people to make a marriage work. This is not all just me.”

“No but you're doing the majority and I have not acknowledged that enough.”

“You have been more or less a recluse for the better part of your life and even if you hadn't nothing here in Garlemald would have prepared you for an arranged marriage to a foreign born Au'Ra and yet look how well we do together?” Dainty replied, giving a little roll of her hips to emphasize her point. He gave a little grunt at the sensation before gently disengaging their over sensitive bodies.

She snuggled into his chest again, relaxing on him, utterly vulnerable and trusting. She had practice at the give and take necessary to make a marriage work, she had gone into it their union with eyes wide open, and unhobbled while he was half blind and limping.

“When you put it like that.” Cid conceded. 

“We got lucky. Our personalities complement one another well and your willingness to learn how to be my husband is far more valuable than you know.”

“And you made this damn easy for me.” Cid told her, leaning in for a kiss before she could argue further. Dainty was more than happy to indulge him until he released her and they organized themselves well enough to climb out of the Reaper without knees or elbows being accidentally applied to anywhere sensitive. They straightened their clothes with conspiratorial giggles.

“I’m never looking at a Reaper the same way again.” Cid commented.

“We can keep this one right? It is ours now, we’ve claimed it.” Dainty replied.

“Technically all of them are ours. They were built with my parts, although that one, “ Cid pointed to the half painted one. “Will be Livia’s once its finished being painted.”

“You should make it fly.” 

“Hells no! The last thing this city needs is an airborne Livia sas Junius!”

“But the Emperor might. Consider how much trouble we had getting through the city with all the people an hour ago? There is only going to be an increase in Reaper and foot traffic from here until the quick travel system is restored. Imagine if there was another emergency with Gaius? How are the Tribuni supposed to get to him quickly to defend him?” Dainty pressed.

For all Cid’s jokes about the Garlean woman’s instability he had not been there, in the Throne room that day, to see how loyally Livia, and Nero too, had protected Gaius.

Dainty had run back in, certainly but they had never left the Emperor’s side, even with the potential of vast personal cost. 

“There is a thought I had not considered.” Cid mused. “The quick travel system will take me months to repair.”

He was the only one who understood how the loop and relay system worked as it had been entirely his creation and although he was confident he could teach and lead a team of Engineers to progress the work quickly once it started its construction could not begin until the Palace had been entirely razed and the foundations for the new one laid. That task would thankfully fall to the Grand Minister of Architecture, giving Cid time to turn his mind to the quandary Dainty had set before him.

His mind, always working, was already salivating at pulling apart the Reaper and building a modified levitation engine into it. Nero would be furious to have his work “improved” which only made it the funnier. Livia’s battered armor was still in his work shop too, he could integrate part of the Reapers controls into it. 

Cid had been honestly impressed with the workings of the Red Baron when he got his hands on it, and the way Nero’s armor had attempted to automatically send a distress beacon to summon it when the blond came under attack.

“I see I won’t have to worry about you feeling neglected while I am busy rebuilding the rose garden.” Dainty giggled, seeing Cid’s blue eyes losing focus as his mind twisted with possibilities and her laughter brought him swiftly back to the here and now. 

“Dainty, I’ve been alone so long I would wage you could ignore me for 3 days straight before it would even occur to me I was being ignored.” Cid replied with a self-deprecating laugh, reaching into the Reaper's flank to retrieve the two bottles of liquor he had been so pleased to find. He presented them to Dainty gallantly and her purple and orange eyes lit up in absolute delight like a child on their 5th name day.

“Where do you find these?!” Dainty marveled, shooting him an admiring look. “And how did you know?!”

“I can’t take credit, Tataru suggested you would appreciate returning to a nice drink and told me you favorited it.”

“Tartaru may have mentioned it but she isn’t the one who tracked them down despite not liking to leave the house.” Dainty scolded, judging that if he did not think he deserved her love then she clearly needed to do a better job communicating when he did things that made her love him. “Thank you, husband.”

Her absolute joy made Cid’s heart twist in his chest. 

He didn’t know if it was love but he could certainly admit to being infatuated with her and wanting her to be happy. He never, ever wanted to upset her ever again.

That seemed like it might be love, and that was good enough for Cid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is pretty much "The End" happily ever after, fade to black.
> 
> I am writing an epilogue but its pretty silly, and doesn't really advance the plot.
> 
> I mainly just wanted to write about the Tribuni getting drunk as a reward for finish my silly story.


	20. EPILOGUE. Find Your Love.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cid forgets all his manners when he drinks. Dainty never had any to begin with.

EPILOGUE

 

It was gray in Garlemald.

Almost everything aside of the private residences was constructed of kohl gray metals and alloys. The weather, however, was brilliant sunshine. The mild and pleasant Spring had given way to a blisteringly hot Summer.

The disposition of those at the Garlond Estates were equally sunny.

Alisaie and Alphinaud's laughter echoed around the expansive estate. Cid was trying to calibrate one of the one of the levitating platforms that made up the quick travel system in Garlemald. The gyroscoping guidance system had developed an issue on this particular platform and the best way to test if it had been resolved was body weight.

Fully 3 months after the Primal incident and having returned recently from dealing with the Final Coils of Bahamut with Dainty, Alphinaud and Alisaie were “home” from their travels and more than willing to be of assistance to the Garlean Engineer.

Although Sharlayan would always be their true home the twins, tasked with finding out everything possible about the Ascians by Gaius, had taken to living in Garlemald happily, each picking a bedroom on the second floor to call their own and furnishing it to their own tastes.

Tartaru had selected a room on the bottom floor, although on the opposite side of the house from Cid and Dainty's room. The Lalafel was marching along a row of orange trees, only as tall as she was, and counting the expected harvest.

Tataru enjoyed her role as Comptroller of the Garlond Estates, turning the full weight of her attention to managing each section as Dainty took it into her head to restore restored them. 

Dainty quite liked being a house wife who occasionally beat things up in between making pies and planting citrus orchards but it was Tartaru who balanced the books, keeping Dainty's spending in check and an eye of the harvests.

With Cid’s attention now mostly dominated by the engineering involved in restoring the broken quick travel system it was Tartaru who brought people in to make repairs on the main house and gardens as needed, or took the excess flowers and fruits from Dainty's gardens to the markets to sell.

Alphinaud snorted with laughter as the board he and Alisaie stood on wobbled, almost unbalancing them and forcing Cid to grab it again to stabilize it. That had not been the right loose lug nut.

“Hmmm.” Cid made an annoyed noise as he peered underneath it. He could use a second set of hands if he was honest but didn't want to call Dainty from the house. She was having a tough time with the heat and preferred to remain indoors where it was cooler.

She would come out to be social if asked but knowing how she disliked the current scorching temperatures no one felt the need to ask her.

A chime at the gate drew their attentions. Even though they were no longer locked, coded and guarded an alert still played when anyone crossed the threshold.

“Who is that?” Alisaie squinted, not quite able to place the robed, unarmored figured sauntering his way casually up the pathway to the main house. The pure white gravel, cleaned and swept when the palace staff were convalescing there, made a pleasant crunch under the dark haired mans sandled feet.

“Oi, Gaius!” Cid gave a wave with his free hand, alerting the elder statesman that there were on the lawn and not inside.

A pleasant smile lingered on Gaius’ features, marking his mood as jovial and the fact that he was alone made it clear he had come to visit as Cid’s friend, and Father figure.

Not as the Emperor.

“I want pie.” Gaius zos Baelsar announced, having decided he was bored rattling around his Summer villa alone and trying to avoid Livia sas Junius

Cid laughed; 

“I don't think you could have come to a better place. Dainty!”

Gaius sat himself in one of the shaded chairs that surrounded a well crafted bamboo table. A large linen umbrella and a semi circle of plants behind him made the alcove a pleasant place to sit, and look out over the lawn.

Dainty appeared promptly, barely clad in some linen short shorts and a bikini top that left most of her scales and skin exposed. She was carrying a tray of lemonade, cherry and spice liquor for spiking the lemonade, a variety of cookies and a large slice of banana pie for Gaius.

“Aaaah banana excellent.” Gaius rubbed hands together greedily. Dainty smiled, proud of her culinary skills, making a drink and a glass of water for Cid and bringing them to him but leaving Gaius to make his own to his desired strength before she retreated back into the house to escape the weather.

“Alphinaud, can you shift your weight back about 6 ilms?” Cid asked, watching the springs compress carefully as the teen did so. Alisaie wobbled, grabbing her brothers arms for stability but remained upright.

“Finicky things aren't they!” she noted, not particularly feeling like landing on her rump in the grass today.

“Frustratingly, yes.” Cid replied.

“I should have kept her for myself.” Gaius muttered around a mouthful of pie. Food was one of the things even cold Gaius delighted in.

“That isn't slightly unnerving or anything.” Cid replied, narrowing his eyes at Gaius from where he was kneeling in the grass.

It was all joking. Even cowed by the utterly traitorous and un-Garlean actions of the Galvus line the Elites of Garlean society would never accept a hybrid on the throne.

“Relax, I won't take your toy away from you.” Gaius laughed, waving a bare hand lazily at Cid. He was unarmored today, clad in a simple cotton robe and his dark hair slicked back as it always was. It was entirely too hot for his usual attire. “Should she happen to become a widow again, however.”

Cid laughed, not rising to the bait of Dainty being referred to as his toy.;

“That would end poorly for you, Gaius.”

“Oh, would it? You really think you, nan Garlond, could stand up against me?” Gaius crowed. Cid as a scientist and engineer. Gaius was a battle hardened soldier through and through and they had come to blows before this day.

“Me? Absolutely not.” Cid smirked, restringing a disconnected spring into place and sitting back with a then scowled when the board wobbled and refused to remain level. “But you’d only get one hit in before Dainty showed up swinging.”

“That’s a theory I wouldn’t mind testing.” Gaius purred, rising to his feet and eyeballing Cid dangerously.

In a split second he drew his weapon, Alisaie shrieked, Cid flinched, and Gaius was slammed bodily into the dirt by an Au’Ra shaped missile.

“I lied, you wouldn’t get even 1 hit off.” Cid shook his head ruefully.

“What the Seven Hells is going on?!” Dainty demanded, positioning herself between Cid and the twins and Gaius, her axe in her hand and eyes glowing red with aether flames.

Gaius, who had seen Dainty in action only once before spat out a mouthful of grass, cursing at himself for forgetting she could strafe like that.

Her ability to go from nothing to full power in an instant was not to be under-estimated.

“It’s all in good fun, Dainty, I promise.” Cid spoke gently from behind her.

“Indeed.” Gaius grinned. 

He rose slowly, collecting his weapon. A golden, glowing gun blade that had been a gift from Cid’s Father. A one of a kind engineering marvel, and Gaius’ most trusted sidearm. “However, it’s been years since I’ve taken a hit like that and I miss it. Since you’ve got your weapon drawn, how about a rumble?”

“Only if you promise to leave Cid alone.” Dainty replied, tone tart.

It was too hot for such silliness in her opinion but gambled that it would be over quickly. An unarmored Gaius was hardly a match for her.

“You have my word.” Gaius swore.

Dainty loosed a great swing of her axe that sent Gaius leaping back, with a burst of amused laughter.

“Dirty tactics, my girl!? For shame!”

His weapon came around, met the handle of hers as she blocked and kicked him solidly in the gut before dancing out of range of his counter attack.

“Don’t be bitter. You were planning the same, I just got there first.” Dainty retorted, slashing at him, dodging and then slashing again.

“I was!” Gaius laughed. “You’re holding back.”

“You are correct.”

“Your mistake!”

Gaius launched himself at her, armor coalescing around him an instant. 

One of Nero’s toys, Gaius had not thought it worth much at the time but was now appreciating the ability to become protected by iron and magitek in an instant. Possessed of a full range of Magitek arsenal he strafed to the side lobbing a magitek grenade in her direction.

Dainty batted it back towards him, leaving him to dodge the small explosion and taking several swings at him while he was distracted, a couple of them hit home before he managed to throw up a shield.

Aether whirled around her and she hit the shield with a massive cleave, testing its strength.

Gaius knew it wouldn’t survive another one of those cleaves and went on the offensive. It mattered naught, however. Much like during her fight with Zenos she was constantly twisting, moving, dancing, staying just out of range of anything he could throw at her.

On the occasions a blow did land she would simply shake it off, or coalesce her Aether into a temporary shield of her own, reducing the potency of his hits.

Gaius could feel himself being worn down, yet Dainty fought on.

“Hold!” Gaius called, and Dainty checked the wild swing she had launched instantly, turning it aside so her blade bit into the dirt and not into him. The suit of armor flickered, and gave out, disappearing back into its summoning device to recharge. Gaius regarded himself. “Mmmm Nero did say the run time on that was less than stellar.”

“Impressive, none the less! In a pitched battle, when the ground troops need just a little bit more momentum for a surge, it might be the key between pushing through a blockade and falling back.” Alphinaud observed.

“Quite, little lordling. Enough Dainty, I can’t keep pace with you. Maybe were I a younger man I might have given a better showing.” Gaius chuckled, self-deprecating.

“You’re also still not fully healed, if the way you’re favoring your non dominant leg is any indication.” Dainty observed, lowering her weapon and relaxing.

Gaius attacked but too slow, Dainty hit him with a massive uppercut that dropped him solidly on his backside.

“Gaius!” Cid was certain Dainty had taken the mans’ head clean off.

“Oh relax, I pulled that punch. Even this bed warmer does owe him a bloody savaging for being a manipulative gobshite.” Dainty retorted, eyes glowing with power as Gaius, rubbed his chin, chuckling;

“I deserve that, I suppose.” Gaius agreed, dusting himself off firmly as he stood.

Dainty muttered something under her breath he didn’t quite catch, but she wandered over to Cid was still kneeling in the dirt and asking “Is this seat taken?” with a smirk before curling herself into his lap.

Cid, still required to stabilize the platform lest the twins tumble into the dirt, could do nothing to prevent her looping her arms around his shoulders her tail draped over his legs.

“Hi there.” Cid chuckled as Dainty snuggled in for a hug.

Gaius’ expression softened, seeing the adoring look Cid was giving Dainty.

Her features tended be stoic when relaxed but it was hard to misinterpret the way she pressed her lips to his cheek then stole his lemonade and guzzled it greedily.

It was very warm and she had been quite active, sparring with Gaius.

Gaius was a cold man, and always had been, needing not the close friendships and physical intimacy that most craved. He had not cared for his own family, as a child his Mother had hugged and kissed him, as Mothers do and Gaius recalled that he had thought it bothersome.

Midas, Cid’s Father, was really the only person whom Gaius could say he had genuinely felt true kinship for, even love in a brotherly way, as best Gaius understood the emotion.

It was Gaius’ care for Midas, and guilt at what had become of him, that originally drove Gaius to protect Cid, and raise him as his own when Midas’ mind began to slip.

It was only later, when Cid’s genius with magitek started to become useful to Gaius that friendship between the pair actually formed.

Gaius had to admit seeing the way Dainty lavished attention on Cid and Cid's quietly delighted response to it warmed even his cold heart. Only a fool would actually try to separate them now.

“I will get a bucket from the well and hose you two down, I swear to the Twelve.” Alphinaud snorted at Cid and Dainty, unamused at the affectionate pair.

Cid laughed as Dainty rose, moving to join Gaius at the table and helping herself to some more lemonade.

“If you were waiting for me to apologize for the bed-warmer comment, don’t.” Gaius informed Dainty.

“If you were waiting for me to apologize for knocking you on your ass twice, don’t.” Dainty retorted with a smirk.

Gaius laughed freely, unable to do so with almost anyone else in Garlemald, not even his Tribuni.

“Got anything more potent?” He asked, waving his empty glass at her. 

The sweet liquor and lavender scented lemonade was pleasant but he was craving the kind of lazy, hot afternoon buzz that only something more alcoholic could produce.

“What kind of pirate do you think you’re talking too?” Dainty retorted with a laugh, rising and moving inside to return shortly after with a huge pitcher of beer, a cold roast chicken, bread rolls and salty garlic and sausage drippings dipping sauce

It reminded him that, although he had found Dainty in Ishgard, disguised as a noblemans baseborn child, she had been raised by the Marauders Guild in Limsa Lominsa.

 _Low-born at heart, despite now living a high-born life, just like me. And well familiar with the delights of a cold, cheap beer on a hot day and a feast befit a common soldier. If only you had been Garlean, Dainty._ – Gaius mused to himself as Dainty repeated the trip, returning with a second pitcher in a tub of ice-shards and glasses for all assembled.

He poured himself a glass and took a long pull of it, savoring the slightly bitter, fruit and hop fizz of the good quality beer.

As much as he joked about having kept her for himself Gaius was not in the slightest bit attracted to Au’Ra. She was too small, and entirely too scaled to ever be enticing in Gaius’ eyes. It was her skill as a Warrior that he found intriguing but nothing about her otherwise stirred his heart.

To him, Garlean women were the epitome of beauty and always would be.

“Come on, you lot. It’s too hot to work with any degree of seriousness. Emperor’s orders.” Gaius laughed.

“Tataru, bring us some ripe oranges, would you please?” Dainty called.

“That’s the best idea I have heard all day.” Cid muttered, wiping a hand across his forehead and lifting Alisaie off the device, which promptly unbalanced Alphinaud and sent him tumbling into the dirt. “Whoops! Sorry!”

Alisaie giggled as Alphinaud collected himself, giving himself a quick brush down and moving into the shade where Dainty and Gaius were waiting. He was promptly handed a small glass of beer, which made Cid scold;

“Dainty!”

“What?”

“Aren’t the twins a little young for that?”

Dainty looked at Alphinaud;

“Are you too young to drink beer?”

“Tis not my first, nor is it likely to be my last, I assure you.”

Dainty looked back at Cid with a “see, its fine” gesture and poured one for Alisaie. 

Cid shook his head, and moved to set the Magitek platform he had been working on back into the Workshop where it would be safe, and no one would get any drunken ideas to test it.

“Not on your life, beer is foul. I’ll take some of the lemonade though.” The Elezen teen replied, helping herself.

“I’ll take that!” Tataru grinned as she joined them. Her hands were full carrying a selection of oranges by using her skirt as a makeshift basket but quickly set them down in favor of the beer Alisaie had declined.

“Another, your Grace?” Alphinaud offered, seeing that Gaius' cup was nearing empty already.

“Thank you, and you can leave off that “your grace” stuff behind these walls, little lordling. You are your sister are practically bas Garlond's at this point.” Gaius grinned, knowing the nickname aggravated Alphinaud and using it all the more for the way one of the Elezen's eyes twitched almost imperceptibly every time.

“Thank you… Gaius.” Alphinaud managed levelly. He was aware that it was an honor to address the Emperor of Garlemald so informally.

“We rather have accidentally been adopted into Garlean nobility.” Alisaie laughed.

“So it would seem, please remind me the difference between bas and cen, as Dainty is addressed?” Alphinaud requested.

By the time Cid returned Alphinaud and Gaius were having a spectacular debate over whether or not Alphinaud deserved a “bas” or a “cen” suffix.

Alphinaud maintain that Sharlayan had never been annexed by Garlemald, therefore “aan” was utterly invalid and that his actions as acting Viceroy in Doma more than qualified him for more than “bas.”

Gaius however felt that nothing more than “bas” was deserved, and even that was generous, because the twins claims to citizenship were tenuous at best, coming via Dainty’s marriage to Cid.

Alisaie and Tataru were firmly staying out of, other than Tataru stating she would be honored to be considered for Garlean citizenship as Tataru bas Taru and giving a curtsy. 

Much like Dainty she had nothing but bitter feelings for the majority of Eorzea for what was done to Alisaie and to the Scions.

Dainty had completely excluded herself from the conversation and was investigating a huge wooden trough that had originally held a large quantity of top soil for her orchard. 

It was wide as Dainty was tall and came up to her mid-thigh. It had been emptied of soil to be refilled with rain water several times over and now it stood half filled with clean water that Dainty had been using to water the orchard.

At first glance Cid though she was emptying the barrel, she had been meaning to do so for a while now so that the trough could be removed.

It seemed odd that she would chose to do it now, however.

She disliked the oppressive, cloying heat of Isalberd, preferring cooler climates, not surprising for someone raised by the ocean and of a people that hailed from the mountains. 

Toiling in the sun with heavy buckets of water, on a task that could be done some other time, seem rather out of character for a woman who had been loitering inside, or in the shade most of the day.

Curious, Cid sat down to watch her and quickly realized she was adding water too it from the well and chugging from her beer between trips to refill her bucket.

He helped himself to a beer of his own, and made a chicken sandwich and watched Dainty. In her shorts and bikini top it was a particularly pleasant view.

It wasn’t long before Dainty felt the trough was sufficiently filled. She returned to the table to pour herself some more beer, giving Cid a quick kiss and stealing a handful of ice-shards. These were thrown into the water to chill it but not enough to actual cause ice to form. She stripped off her shorts and climbed in herself, taking great pains not to spill her beer.

“Aaaaaaaah” Dainty sighed blissfully, finally finding relief from the heat and stretching out in the cool water, her tail floating to the surface.

Alisaie and Tataru exchanged looks, then scrambled to shirk their clothes and join her. “No! No! My barrel! Shoo!”

Dainty’s protests were ignored as the Elezen and Lalafel settled into the cold water themselves.

“Oh Gods, that’s lovely.” Alisaie sighed, relaxing against the side.

“Move over, Dainty.” Tataru scolded.

“No. My barrel!” Dainty insisted, making a star fish shape to hog as much of the trough as possible.

Tataru shrugged, and sat on one of her legs since she was short enough to need the boost to keep her head over the water line anyway. Dainty muttered unkind epithets into her beer but did not force Tataru off her leg, or Alisaie out of the water even though she had more than enough strength to do so.

“Can we summon Rihtahtyn to join us?” Alisaie asked, fond of the massive Roegadyn.

“And risk bloody Livia figuring out where I am? No.” Gaius retorted sharply, feeling the effects of the beer on top of the liquor far sooner than he had expected. He didn't admit it aloud but, Emperor or not, he had had to fully sneak out of the Summer Villa to prevent Livia following at his heels.

“Forgive me for speaking out of turn but would not taking a wife and begetting an heir make sense at this point of your reign? I have heard Livia described as unstable, I admit but you cannot fault her for loyalty, or beauty.” Alphinaud mused into his beer.

“Her desires are sick. We are of Family.” Gaius replied plainly.

“Oh you are bloody not.” Dainty snorted indelicately, surprising several people with her words, not least of all Gaius himself.

“Excuse me?” Gaius narrowed his eyes at her. He may have been there on informal terms, and quite at his leisure but Dainty's tone was still entirely too sharp for his tastes. He could be loosely considered her Father in Law, after all.

“Honestly, I don't know what you expected to happen there.” Dainty continued. “Of course Livia doesn't see you as Family. To her, Family is something that leaves her. Something that abandons her. You never did.”

“Be that as it may, I raised her from childhood.”

“Really? When?” Dainty challenged bluntly. “When, as you were building your military career did you act as a Father to the emotionally scared, vulnerable child you had taken in?”

“Gaius did his best, Dainty.” Cid defended. He had been present for a large portion of the time line that Dainty was referring to, after all, where as she had only heard of it second hand through his stories.

“Of that, I have no doubt, judging by your delightful personality, my love.” Dainty replied, giving Cid a sweet smile before, laser like, her eyes snapped to Gaius and narrowed slightly. “I am simply trying to ascertain when in all of her life, did Gaius make raising Livia a priority, as a Father ought to do for his Daughter?”

Cid opened his mouth to protest again and was calmed quickly by Gaius holding up a hand.

“Leave it, Cid. I did not make it to the pinnacle I have by ignoring the council of others more experienced than I and I would be glad to have female perspective on the situation. Especially one that has no fear of my temper, or earning my enmity.”

People with the ability to speak freely and fearlessly to the Emperor of Garlemald were few and far between after all. Even Cid knew when to mind his tongue. “I urge you to continue Dainty. I find Livia's wishes grotesque yet my mind is not unmalleable. I once thought to enslave your homeland, after all.”

“Very well.” Dainty downed several mouthfuls of beer, polishing off her glass and laid out her points;

“By my observations Livia must have more or less raised herself in your company. Although you must have provided her with necessities I cannot imagine you ever performed the actions that would have taught her to love you as a Father. Brushing her hair, or teaching her her letters, or tucking her in at night.” 

Gaius considered this, and found he could not disagree.

“You are incredibly perceptive, Dainty,”

“I would also wager that you had not the time to pay attention to her desperate craving to be nurtured or loved and worse, you brought her with you to the Garlond Estates to watch you give the attention she so desperately wanted to a different child.

Furthermore, when she did reach an age to start being interested in the opposite sex you attempted to manipulate her toward that child she had already grown to jealously resent by refusing to allow her out unless it was with Cid.”

“Gaius, you didn’t.” Cid's eyebrows shot up. 

There was no point denying Gaius had strongly suggested Cid and Livia date when they were both teenagers but Cid had not realized Gaius had gone beyond suggestions. Cid could well believed it, though. Gaius could be cruel in achieving his goals when he set his mind to something. 

It would not at all have been out of character for Gaius to go to the extreme of restricting Livia's freedom in hopes of manipulating her into seeing Cid as her method of escaping Gaius' tyranny.

“I did no such thing.” Gaius waved a lazy hand.

“Liar.” Dainty smirked, not bothering to point out that, with the sliver of her Echo in him she could read his lies was if they were a glowing sign above his head. “Worst of all your crimes is that when Livia hit her majority and joined the Army, when she became useful you finally bothered to flatter her with the time and praise she had so desperately craved since that day you lifted her from the ruins of her broken home. You promoted her within the ranks of the XIVth, thereby binding her to your side when the kinder option would have been to release her to join another squadron and to learn to put you out of her mind. 

So I put it to you once again, Gaius. What precisely did you think would happen, raising a girl already traumatized by the death of her Family in such a manner? Or did you know full well she would grow to become obsessed with you and **groomed** her that way from the start?” 

Cid sucked in a breath, that was a nasty accusation to even imply. Yet he found it hard to defend Gaius, the man was known to be manipulative, and his tastes could tend towards the violent. There was a reason Cid had mistaken Dainty for a teenager that day on the airship landing that went above the fact her cloak disguised her figure.

Gaius sat back in his chair, lips pursed tightly together in a silence pregnant with tension. One finger tapped an annoyed tattoo against the table.

Tartaru shot a smirk at Cid;

“Told you she's kind of a mean drunk.”

“Mean? Honest.” Dainty retorted, “Tell me, Gaius. Is it Livia's desires you find grotesque or the fact she dared to want something from you in return for all that you have used her for?”

Dainty levered Tataru off her leg so that she could refill her drink and make herself a snack. 

Cid tugged her into his lap, uncaring that she was wet for loitering in the tub. Her skin was cold from the water and made a pleasant contrast against his own heated flesh.

Gaius was loathed to admit it but Dainty’s accusations were not entirely off base, although not quite as malicious as she had subscribed them as being.

It was not manipulation, or cruelty that had caused Gaius to with-hold nurturing and affection from Livia as a child. It was that Gaius had found these things bothersome when his parents had attempted to give them to him, and he had presumed, in raising Livia as he would have wished to have been raised, that he had been doing the girl a favor.

Certainly it had seemed to be to Livia's benefit, she was an effective soldier and a strong woman who was loyal to his cause above all else. She had chosen to join the army with the express purpose of becoming a member of the XIVth and Gaius would concede that he should have refused her. 

In that Dainty was fully correct. He should have sent Livia away years ago, rather than letting her remain at his side, knowing her feelings for him but her loyalty was useful.

Dainty drew breath as if to speak again and Gaius threw up a hand wishing to hear no more of it. He did not like to feel guilty and her words were coming perilously close to making him feel so.

Livia sas Junius has always been somewhat unstable and, for the first time in his life, it occurred to Gaius he might at least be partially to blame for that.

“Hold, Dainty. I'll hear no more or your accusations of my behavior. I will own your words have given me much to think upon but I did not groom her. You aren't the first to make that accusation and it is wholly wrong. My actions may not be irreproachable but my intentions were and ever had been to give an orphaned child a home. Nothing more.”

His critics had always latched onto the notion that there was something amiss about an unattached male taking in a vulnerable female child.

Just as her Echo showed her when Gaius was lying it also showed Dainty when he was speaking the truth and she gave an acquiescing nod;

“I apologize for the accusation and I have a suggestion you may wish to consider.”

“oh?” the tapping finger came to rest.

“As Alphinaud pointed out, taking a wife and begetting an heir would be a wise move for your reign at this juncture. What chance does that child have in being raised to continue your lifes' work at the hand of a cold, logical, manipulative man such as yourself? Look at the examples you already raised. One that has no desire to ever rule and one that is obsessively focused on a singular thing. Neither would make good candidates to continue your legacy.

Consider then, an heir raised with a woman who is your equal and opposite. Nurturing where you are cold. Emotional where you are logical. Loyal where you are manipulative and strong enough to tell you to stand down and reign you in when you are at your worst. Even if you cannot feel love, surely your prized logic must see the value in those qualities for any potential heir's mother.”

“Emotional and loyal I will give you but I would struggle to call Livia sas Junius nurturing in any way.”

“Then you are not looking hard enough for she seemed perfectly nurturing to me, the day she shielding you from a collapsing roof with her own body. You may wipe it away as the behavior of a loyal Tribunus to her Emperor but you saw not the damage done her, the immense pain she bore in silence, willing herself to remain conscious in order to bare you to safety in a Magitek reaper. You saw not the look of anguish on her face when she thought you lost to us.”

“You fight awfully diligently for a woman you know not, Dainty cen Garlond.”

“I fight for the Mother Crystal. If she falls, we fall and I would rather not see what terror Garlemald inflicts upon this star without your hand, extended through an heir, at its helm. I do not mean to imply you owe Livia your affections. No one is owed another’s anything but for all that when we were in the aetherial sea your aether glowed brighter for the mention of Livia's name.”

“Did Dainty just imply Gaius’ soul glows when he hears Livia's name?” Alisae asked her brother, only slightly sotto voice.

“That was no implication, that was a full statement.” Alphinaud smothered a small snicker. 

“It is damned interesting that a cold man such as yourself had such a visible reaction to merely her name. Unrequited love is neither pleasant, nor kind and Livia has none that would fight for her on this matter. If by doing so I can felicitate a stronger, brighter future for this star, thus is my responsibility to Hydaelyn.” Dainty continued, reminding Gaius and those gathered firmly that as much as she enjoyed playing the housewife, at her heart she was still Hydaelyn’s Chosen.

Gaius caught Cid’s desperately amused expression out of the corner of his dark eyes and turned to look at the white haired man. Cid bit his lip, trying to swallow his laughter or hide it his beer glass. 

The notion of the unflinching, rigid Emperor of Garlemald having a deeply buried, secret crush on someone was amusing yet there were perilously few other ways to interpret Dainty’s claims.

“What? Out with it.” Gaius demanded, narrowing his eyes at Cid.

“Gaius and Livia, sittin’ in a tree… K.I.S.S.I.N.G.”

Alisaie laughed first, trying to smother a giggle behind her hand that sent Tataru erupting into joyous giggles that quickly triggered the others.

“Get arsed the lot of you.” Gaius retorted darkly but a small, unwilling smile tugging at his mouth behind his glass.

The lazy afternoon heat and the good natures of his companions were rubbing off on him and their harmless teasing amused him. It had been a very long time since anyone had felt comfortable enough in his presence to treat him as Gaius, and not the Emperor.

Even Cid was careful to toe that line but Dainty was utterly fearless and her ability to challenge him, and the free flowing alcohol made for a pleasantly safe space where guards could be let down and proprieties ignored. 

Perhaps it was the alcohol, he had already imbibed a healthy share, or perhaps it was seeing Cid and Dainty being sweet to one another that made Gaius consider matrimony might not be as awful as he had always considered it.

Cid pressed a kiss to Dainty's bare shoulder, and she held her sandwich up for him to have a bite in response, correctly guessing what he wanted.

Still, that was a though for another time. 

For now Gaius wanted to get drunk.

 

Nero had not been back to the Garlond Estates since returning from Thanalan with Alisaie. There was no need for him to do so and for the most part it was not a location he would ever seek out visiting independent of escorting the Emperor there.

When Livia sas Junius had tersely informed him that Gaius was nowhere to be found and was not responding to communication attempts Nero had written it off, retorting that Gaius was no doubt ignoring Livia for being her usual irritating self and to stop being clingy.

But then Gaius had not responded to Nero’s hails either and the Eikon attack was still fresh enough in his mind for Nero to grow concerned.

So, he had donned his armor, despite the ridiculous heat, just in case there wasn’t a perfectly harmless reason for Gaius to be incommunicado, and done what a loyal solider should;

Sucking up his pride and taking himself to the compound since Livia would not.

Livia was one of the few people who actively loathed Cid more than Nero and as such refused to step foot on the property if she did not absolutely have to which generally meant she was never seen there when not in the company of Gaius. She had no happy memories of the place that might draw her there independently from her role as Tribunus of the XIVth, despite having visited often as a child.

Raucous laughter greeted Nero as he drew the restored Red Baron to a halt outside the ornate gates. It seemed to be emanating from the expansive lawn that abutted the back of the main house, drawing his attention. The gate guards had been dismissed, their services no longer required and the gate codes removed so that the twins could come and go as they pleased.

Nero let himself in and enthusiastic yelling by what his ear identified as Alphinaud Leveilleur answered instantly why no one had come to demand what he was doing there. They likely had not heard the chime that marked his entry over what appeared to be a rather riotous party.

Dark had fallen but it had brought no relief from the heat. Nero was sweating heavily in his armor but let not an ilm of discomfort show, walking quickly in the direction of the noise. As he drew closer he could hear the music of one of Gaius’ favourite Garlean operas.

An assortment of magitek lanterns illuminated the yard, the light glinting off the sharp crimson angles of Nero’s armor.

The laughter died instantly, several faces swinging in his direction.

“Nero!” Alisaie squeaked, and promptly blushed to the tips of her pointed ears, reminded of stupidly walking into his tent unannounced and seeing him clad in his altogether, dignity protected by nothing more than his hands. She covered it quickly with a scowl “What do you want, dzo features?”

“Ah, Alisaie, I was wondering what that smell was.” Nero retorted, turning to look at her in time for a half stale, hard bread roll to be lobbed at his head by a thoroughly sauced Gaius zos Baelsar. 

It bounced off Nero’s helmet with a light “plunk” noise and fell at his feet in the grass.

Tartaru snorted with laughter, setting off a chain reaction among the others, the twins eventually laughing so hard they had to hold onto each other for support.

Nero had expected to find Gaius at the Garlond Estates, he hadn’t expected the man to be drunk. 

He certainly hadn’t expected to be accosted with baked goods by his Emperor while his hated rival’s entire family laughed at him. That left him twisting with rage, despite his ongoing antagonism with Alisaie momentarily putting him at ease.

“Right, then.” Nero observed sourly, glad for the helmet that hid his expression of anger, pride badly stung at this indignity. He had no doubt his anger would do nothing more than provoke more teasing at this point but he would gladly have calmly eviscerated every single person present at that moment, including Gaius.

Nero hated to be laughed at by Gaius, already well aware that the Emperor did not respect him or his abilities the way Nero felt he should.

“Whadya want, Nero?” Gaius slurred, several sheets to the wind.

“Livia has been attempting to hail you for several hours. We grew concerned when you did not reply.” Nero informed the Emperor coolly.

“Fucking Livia.” Gaius snorted in reply.

“No, yer not and tha's mostly the… problem.” Dainty commented, stumbling on her words from somewhere near Nero’s knees, half naked in her bikini and immersed in a trough of water. 

Gaius threw another roll at her. Apparently this was how the drunken Emperor had decided to express his annoyance for the evening. Dainty caught it, poorly, returning fire and utterly missing Gaius to clock Alisaie in the shoulder instead.

“Thanks, Dainty.” Alisaie laughed, feeling rather merry.

“You’re welcome!” the drunk Auri chirped.

“Nero…” Cid drawled, blinking as if only just realizing the man was there. “Dainty, geddout of there n’give…..dzo-features… a-turn. He’s prob'ly dying in that…. armor.”

Alisaie snickered at Cid’s adoption of her nick-name for Nero.

“No!”

“Nero needs a beer. No one else knows where you stashe’ th’keg.”

Cid’s manners, deeply ingrained by his Father, Nursemaid and tutors, would never allow him to do something as impolite as exclude someone from the gathering once they had already arrived. Even if that someone was Nero tol Scaeva.

“No!”

Dainty’s manners were less refined, and she was an argumentative drunk but Cid had very quickly figured out how to manage her.

He chuckled at her lightly, reaching down to lift her bodily out of the water and set her on her feet. Her liquor soaked brain promptly misfired, forgot she had refused to be party to this and stumbled dutifully into the house to get Nero a beer, her tail bouncing along drunkenly behind her.

Nero watched her go, slightly torn. On one hand, he had absolutely no desire to socialize with any of them, least of all Cid bloody Garlond and his stupid bloody wife.

Nero was well aware that he had not been invited to this party and, had any of them been even closer to sober, he probably would have been ordered to leave by the Emperor.

On the other, Nero was not so prideful that he wasn’t instantly, palpably conscious of that fact that one does not turn down the opportunity to socialize with the Emperor and his surrogate son's family.

Much as guarding the gates of the Garlond Estates had once been a sort after position, despite it being hot, boring work it was considered a honor as it meant the Emperor trusted those assigned to that position.

To be invited to drink with them, to put off his armor and let his guard down by becoming drunk in their company and _refuse_ was a snub that would likely be remembered in the morning. That was a mistake that Nero was far too canny to make. An opportunity had been, unexpectedly handed to him and he would take it for all it was worth.

The idea of taking off his armor and climbing in the water filled wooden tub also sounded rather spectacular at that moment too. Fountains for staying cool were common in Garlemald but as Garleans were naturally inclined to be rather dense and heavy to compliment their strength and not in the slightest bit buoyant it was rare to find any that could actually swim.

Pools, therefore, even shallow ones, were a curiosity, and reserved for children and infants who were too young to be trusted in a fountain.

Nero was dying in his armor, however and he could not resist the temptation of a cold beer on a hot evening. The trough looking awfully inviting now that Dainty had quit it.

Alisaie quickly looked elsewhere as Nero began to strip himself lest she flush the colour of a Xelphatol apple again.

Nero had divest himself of the armor and the under suit, thankful he had chosen to wear small clothes today as on occasion he didn’t, and plunked himself into the trough when Dainty returned with a glass of beer and a shot of an innocent looking clear liquor.

The smirk she wore was practically sadistic.

The cold water on Nero’s over-heated skin did feel amazing enough that he didn’t even care that Alisaie and Alphinaud were poking at his armor curiously.

“Oh gross, Dainty, don’t give him that!” Alphinaud scolded.

“Ha! Do it!” Alisaie taunted.

“He has to take a shot of salt-water liquor to catch up. Those are the rules. My house, my rules.” Dainty informed the Elezen with an evil little smile, handing Nero both.

“Your house?” Cid questioned with a laugh. Her words actually pleased him. The old adage that a drunk mans words are a sober mans truth played in Cid’s mind. If Dainty considered the Garlond Estates “hers” then he would never have to worry about her leaving them.

Nero contemplated the alcohol. He was reasonably confident he could wager that he had drunk worse in his life. He slammed back the shot in one go, promptly chugging the beer before he had a chance to taste the liquor, which he could only assume would be vile, earning himself a chorus of cheers, mollifying his ego a little.

“Our house?” Dainty suggested, curling herself into Cid’s lap since the trough was occupied.

“Better.” Cid agreed.

The fact that his clothes were damp, suggesting she had done so multiple times over the course of the evening caught Nero’s attention and now that he looked closer he realized everyone’s clothes had the tell-tale signs of being hugged by a drunk, dripping wet Au’Ra.

Even Gaius.

That raised Nero’s eyebrows sharply. Nero had known Gaius a long time, and knew the Emperor to be cold to the point of seemingly finding physical affection distasteful.

 _Livia fuuuuuucked up by refusing to come here._ – Nero mused to himself, watching Gaius with narrowed blue eyes as the man laughed at Alphinaud stumbling on his own feet a little. If Livia had ever had the slightest chance of convincing Gaius to bed her, now, while he was completely in his cups and unguarded enough to allow Dainty to hug him, would have been her grand opportunity.

“If Nero is here can we invite Rihtahtyn?” Alisaie requested again.

“No.” Gaius slurred then looked at Dainty. “While yer up, hows about some dinner?”

The chicken and rolls had made for a nice snack earlier but with 5 drunken appetites to satiate it had not lasted long and the bones has been picked clean well over 3 hours ago.

“Ooooo good idea….. I’ll go to the market.” Dainty announced.

“The Hells you will swayin’ like that. Alphinaud and I’ll go.” Cid replied, patting her backside to coax her to get up.

He was hardly unimpaired but Dainty and Gaius were significantly drunker than the rest. 

Unbeknownst to Nero the pair had had an entirely ill-advised beer chugging contest an hour ago that both were still feeling the effects of, although Gaius, determined to beat Dainty at something, had been declared the winner.

“No!” Dainty snuggled into Cid’s lap more forcefully, hands gripping his shirt front possessively.

“You’d havta put on clothes t’go t’the market.” Cid reminded her, amused by her antics. She somehow managed to be an adorable, argumentative and affectionate drunk all at the same time.

“No!” Dainty protested, quite happy in her sopping wet bikini and nothing else.

“Then get Nero another….” Cid paused to burp quietly. “… beer, and wait yer turn f’the trough.”

“mmmmoki.” Dainty replied, seeing that Nero had indeed finished his beer. She slithered off Cid’s lap, moving to take the empties inside to refill them.

“I swear to the Twelve you are the Warrior of Light whisperer. Anyone else would’ve ended up punched if they tried that.” Alphinaud commented, impressed. He had been face to face with a drunk Dainty before and the woman had been plain unkind and prone to violence.

“I have a theory on that.” Tartaru chirped, earning a scolding cough from Cid;

“But it is not fit fer polite company.”

“Good thing there's none o’that nonsense here.” Gaius slurred.

Nero had forgotten the Lalafel was there until she spoke, sitting at the picnic table beside Gaius.

“Ha!” Cid gave a bark of laughed but didn’t extrapolate, heading quickly in the direction of the workshop with Alphinaud at his heels so that they could ride a pair of Reaper’s into town. The amount of food that would need to be carried home for them all would require a better transportation method than just their arms.

Tartaru waited until the white haired Garlean, who was a touch sensitive to anyone being disrespectful about Dainty, was out of earshot before leaning in conspiratorially.

“The theory is that she was just reaaaaallly sexually frustrated.” Tataru explained in sotto tones.

“That….. would explain a lot actually.” Alisaie mused. “Good job, Cid.”

Gaius chuckled, still slightly surprised the Engineer and the Eikon Slayer had managed to find a horizontal common group from which to build from.

“Gross.” Nero snorted for the trough.

They were all aware how much Cid and Dainty liked each other in a physical sense. There was an unspoken rule not to go looking for Cid and Dainty if the pair happened to go missing at the same time, it was safer to just assume they were enjoying each others company in a secluded corner somewhere.

“A word to wise. If Cid and Dainty ever disappear and don’t respond to hails for several hours DO NOT go searching for them.” Alisaie told Nero, buzzed enough to feel this was information he needed since he had come in search of Gaius.

“Promise I won’t.” Nero retorted as Gaius laughed.

Dainty appeared with a fresh pitcher of beer for everyone, her gait was unsteady but she spilled not a drop, setting it on the table and letting people help themselves.

“Out!” she ordered Nero.

“Wait your turn.”

“No!”

“Your husband said wait your turn.”

“No!”

Nero took one look at Dainty’s face, decided he wasn’t the Warrior of Light whisperer and promptly got out of the water, letting the Au’Ra climb in muttering to herself about living where the air is lava.

 

“Oioi Garlond… I’m not saying you don’t love your wife if you don’t build her a fountain… I’m just saying she is currently asleep in a trough of ice-water.” Nero informed Cid from the middle of the yard.

The blonde managed not to slur his words, and were not for the fact he was wearing Tataru’s hat while the Lalafel herself was sitting on his shoulders it would not have been instantly obvious that he had very effectively “caught up”.

“I’m taaaaall” Tataru cheered.

Cid looked at the trough. Dainty was still in it, her head on her arms, propped on the side, sleeping off the beer peacefully.

The walk to the markets and back had sobered Cid up a little and a sly smile crossed his handsome features as he looked at Nero.

“I will give you 10000 gil to wake her up.”

Nero drunkenly considered this, and also the other Garlean's smirk and the hand Alphinaud put across his mouth to prevent guffawing and quickly inferred bad things would happen if Dainty was woken.

Nero shook his head, swaying ever so slightly;

“Nooooo.”

Nero turned back, spreading his arms wide to gesture something large and vaguely round shaped, Tataru had to grip his hair to avoid falling off backwards. Nero was too drunk to notice; “Dirty great fountain… right here in the middle of the lard..yard…lawn….whatever.”

“Tis not actually a bad idea.” Cid agreed as he carried the food over to the table. Gaius rubbed his hands together greedily, seeing the feast that Cid and Alphinaud had carried home for them. Alisaie, who had been wearing Nero’s helmet for Gods only knew what reason, popped it off her head gleefully.

Dainty would probably be delighted and he could just imagine her loitering in such a fountain all day. If he positioned it just right so as to be able to see it from the workshop he could enjoy the view of her bikini clad body while working too.

“Someone probably should actually wake Dainty.” Alphinaud observed, going in search of a long stick with which to poke her from a safe distance. The Au’Ra could likely use something solid in her stomach to soak up all the alcohol.

“Joking aside, you don’t wanna do that.” Cid laughed. “She’s going to wake up hungry for something that isn’t food and you’ll all have to listen to drunk make out noises.”

She had warned him once she could be a little pushy but could be dissuaded with a firm no. That went out the window entirely when she was drunk, Cid had quite enjoyed discovering. However that particularly pleasurable occurrence certainly never needed to happen anywhere in public.

“No, thank you, once was enough.” Alphinaud cast the stick he had just picked up aside instantly, causing laughter.

“Okay but she IS the only one who know where the beer is.” Nero reminded them.

“Oh she is not.” Tataru smirked smugly from his shoulders. It would be a cold day in all seven Hells before Dainty could hide anything from her. She yanked Nero's hair for his attention and pointed in the direction of the house. “To the basement, Nero!”

“I don’t have a basement.” Cid frowned.

“Yes you doooooooo.” Tataru cackled as she was born inside. The entrance had been hidden inside a pantry that, Tartaru assumed, Cid had not bothered to venture into in decades. Dainty had clearly found it promptly, if the lack of dust and the alcohol stored down there was any indication.

Some Garlond ancestor had been a wine connoisseur, and a large portion of the presumably once expansive collection had remained below ground in the cool, dark basement for decades. Tataru could only imagine how deeply delighted Dainty had been to discover that.

“Really?! THIS is why no ones’ bloody answering me?!” Livia sas Junius demanded, announcing her presence with a screech that made several people wince. She had grown concerned over the fact that Nero was no longer responding to her hails as Gaius had not been. As with Nero’s arrival the group had been too loud, and too inebriated to hear the chime of the gates opening, signifying her arrival.

“Livia!” Cid started, she looked pissed and he struggled for a method do diffuse her rage and coming up blank.

Like Gaius she wore simple Garlean robes in deference to the heat and her beautiful platinum blonde hair had been twirled up into a tight bun to keep the hot weight of it off her neck.

Livia instantly saw why Nero had also stopped communicating as the blonde Tribunus laticlavus was nowhere to be seen but his discarded armor was scattered across the lawn.

Rihtahtyn, armor clad, had been summoned on the sly by Alisaie making surreptitious use of the communication module in Nero’s helmet while everyone was too drunk to tell her not to. By sheer coincidence the pair of Tribuni had met at the front of the property and ventured in together, just in case there wasn’t an innocent reason both Gaius and Nero were failing to respond.

The Roegadyn gave a light laugh at the scene and removed his helmet;

“The Garlond’s apparently party hard.”

“Rihtahtyn! Come have a beer!” Alisaie waved enthusiastically.

Livia stared, horrified, at Gaius.

He may have been sitting front and center of the gathering, as one might expect for the Emperor but there was nothing regal about him, the twins to his left and Cid to his right. Cid was nonchalantly resting his feet on a giant water filled trough that Dainty was sleepily floating in and he was handing out slices of pizza to people.

Gaius’ undignified appearance, shoving a slice of pizza drunkenly into his face, offended Livia to her core. She was unable to picture the man as anything but a tightly controlled, rigidly unyielding General.

“I am taking you home.” Livia insisted, indignant and glaring disapprovingly at Cid, blaming him in an instant for Gaius' state.

“Leave aff, Liv, the food just got ‘ere.” Gaius slurred at her. “”m fine jesas I am.”

“You can barely speak!” Livia snapped.

“Who killed the fucking vibe? I better not have carried this up here for nothing.” Nero snorted as he rejoined them with Tataru, she had been put off his shoulders so that he could carry a keg over one of them instead. The tall, muscular Tribunus laticlavus was still clad in only his small clothes and Tataru’s hat, making Livia gape at his shamelessly disreputable state.

“Even you, Nero?” Livia hissed, feeling betrayed and wondering if everyone in Garlemald had gone mad. She knew that Nero loathed Cid as much as she did.

Despite seeing the vibrant, crimson armor laying innocuously in the grass it had not occurred to Livia that Nero would be there willingly and cheerfully, assuming that Gaius had ordered Nero’s attendance to get under his skin. It wouldn’t be at all out of character for Gaius to do such a thing for the sole purpose of pushing Nero’s buttons for the Emperor’s own amusement.

“You.” Gaius pointed at Livia unsteadily. “Out!”

“No!” Dainty lurched to her feet, surprisingly several people who thought her still asleep and announced loudly; “They have to take a shot!”

Given that Nero had been welcomed to the party, and Rihtahtyn had been actively invited Dainty thought it unfair that Livia would not be staying, despite what the Emperor was insisting.

“Excuse me?” Livia scowled, turning to the swaying Auri.

“You know, I’d like t’see that.” Gaius grinned dangerously. Watching Livia and Rihtahtyn being forced to swallow Dainty’s salt-water liquor had the potential to be entertaining. Livia had never been known to do anything she disliked quietly.

Rihtahtyn chuckled and sprawled himself onto the lawn beside where Alisaie sat as there were no more chairs available. He had not known what to expect when he had heard Alisaie’s voice come through his com, requesting he come to the Garlond Estates promptly but it had not been this. Still, he tended to be easy going and, unlike Livia and Nero, bore no grudges against anyone present there that evening.

In fact he found the company of the twins in particular to be quite pleasant.

The Roegadyn was far from a stupid man but he was aware that what people like Cid and Nero could do with magitek would ever be beyond him. Rihtahtyn’s saving grace has always been his immense strength and size, which frequently lead people to treated him as a big, stupid lug head. Nero and Livia and even Gaius to an extent were guilty of that, although he could not recall Cid ever doing so.

Alisaie and Alphinaud had never spoken down to him, despite being Sharlayan trained Scholars of an intellect that impressed even Gaius. They never deliberately babied their words with him or acted like he was in any way less intelligent than those around him, which Rihtahtyn appreciated.

Alisaie went to pour him a beer, saw they had no clean glasses and settled for handing Rihtahtyn the half full pitcher. The Roegadyn was so massive that it seemed the right size in his hands.

“You think I can’t?” Livia challenged, rapidly trying to assess the best plan of attack for getting Gaius out of there and away from all the bad influences. Having a couple drinks with them until they let their guards down did not seem a poor strategy and Livia was as much a soldier as Nero or Rihtahtyn was. She had had her fair share of less than well brewed alcohol to quiet the scars left by the battlefield and could keep pace with the rest of them.

“No one cares if you can or can’t, you cake witted pissant.” Dainty rolled her eyes from the water, straying dangerously in full mean drunk territory. “All we care about is your willingness to pull your head out your gaping Godsdamn frigid twat and fucking party with us.”

“Her ability to string curse words together is truly magnificent.” Rihtahtyn commented. He still remembered that time Dainty had called described Merlyb as white skinned two faced back stabbing cunt colbyn.

“Her entire bloody mouth is truly magnificent.” Cid smirked, munching on a slice of pizza and keeping half an eye on Dainty in case she got a little too eager to push buttons. Tataru had once made a comment about F’lahminn having to separate Thancred and Dainty before the Au’Ra could be nasty and it lingered in his mind.

“That is too much information, Cid.” Rihtahtyn rumbled.

Livia glared as Tartaru marched into the house and returned with a bottle of clear, innocently looking alcohol and poured Livia a shot of it. The blonde woman took a delicate sniff and winced:

“Oh Hells it like smells the ocean, if the ocean was rotting.” Livia gagged but breathed out sharply and shotted the liquor back in one go. She shuddered, vocalizing her disgust as it burned down her throat before asking Dainty. “Yeck! What is wrong with you?! That is foul!”

Dainty laughed at Livia’s indignation.

Rihtahtyn was furnished with an extra large shot , which he took dutifully and, as Nero had, chased promptly with beer to prevent tasting it too much.

Tartaru drunkenly considered the mammoth man and demanded;

“Shoulders!”

Rihtahtyn was amused by this request but was willing to play along so as not to spoil the mood. He bent down and offering one tree trunk of an arm to the diminutive Lalafel to scramble up, plunking herself on one broad shoulder as a parrot might a pirate with a happy “weeeeee!”

Nero removed Tartaru’s hat from his head, only just recalling that he was still wearing it, and dropped it haphazardly on Rihtahtyn’s. The beret, balancing precariously at a jaunty angle, looked like a fascinator on Rhitahtyn’s dark hair and prompted giggles from the twins as Nero helped himself to some pizza.

Fortunately Cid and Alphinaud had completely over ordered, unable to fully decide on what they wanted, let alone what the others back at the house might what, so there was plenty of food for the two additional bodies at the party.

“Hiiiiiiii.” Dainty purred at Cid, eyeing him in a hungry, lascivious manner.

“Hello, little wife.” Cid laughed at her, commenting; “told you” to Alphinaud who rolled his eyes at the amorous Au’Ra. As predicted Dainty had woken up hungry for something that wasn’t food.

“Come here.” Dainty requested, laying back down in the water in an attractive manner and with a suggestive smile.

“Nope.” Cid smirked at her, shaking his head, knowing full well she would not behave if he did.

He gambled she would not be willing to get out of the cold water and was proven correct when Dainty pouted. Alisaie handed her a slice a pizza to distract her, which thankfully worked, the Au’Ra sitting up from her position sprawled out in the tub with a gleeful expression.

 _This isn’t so bad, I suppose._ – Livia mused, watching alcohol being passed around and glasses refreshed.

“Someone pass me a bloody beer, would they?” Livia snarled, her mouth still tasted like that awful shot she had taken. Nero, in charge of refilling glasses by dint of being the one to carry up the keg handed her a beer and Livia quickly chugged it, earning herself a round of cheers.

She was promptly handed another.

The cold beer fizzed over her taste buds, mellowing her thoughts a little and reminding her that it was oppressively hot. She didn’t know how the armor clad Rihtahtyn could withstand it.

The damp, small clothed appearances of Alisaie, Tartaru and Nero suggested that helping oneself to the trough Dainty was lingering in was fair game, as best as Livia could judge so she peeled herself out of her robes and moved to join the Au’Ra, muttering;

“Dainty has the right bloody idea in this heat.”

“No! My tub!” Dainty protested, attempting to star fish and retain grip on her food.

“Ignore her, we do.” Alisaie recommended and the much larger Livia felt this was fair advice. She simply scooted the slender, slightly floating Auri out of the way so that she could sprawling out opposite Dainty with a deep sigh;

“Oh, that’s heavenly. Someone hand me some pizza?”

One of the Elezen twins handed her a piece. Livia honestly could not have said which but she thought it was the boy as she relaxed in the cool water, letting conversations happen around her.

Her eyes, Garlean blue but unusually flecked with violet, noted that Cid switched Gaius’ beer out for a glass of water when the Emperor wasn’t paying attention. Gaius was drunk enough not to notice he was no longer consuming alcohol, at least for the time being and Livia had to unwillingly admit that of all the things she could fault Cid for taking care of Gaius was not one of them.

Livia’s thoughts quickly progressed passed mellow to melancholy as the beer on top of the shot started to metabolize into her blood stream.

It was for this reason she rarely drank. While everyone else was laughing, and enjoying themselves her mind tended to turn to the maudlin when she imbibed.

The location hardly helped. Although staying at the Garlond Estates after the Eikon incident had been a necessary evil it was not a place that Livia would have chosen to dwell for any length of time.

Her and Gaius returning quickly to the Summer Villa had been strongly motivated by her constant complaints about the dust, although that had been a cover for how uncomfortable the lavish, if neglected house made her.

Were not for the fact that this was where Gaius was currently located Livia would never have agreed to join the gathering of people she barely knew or actively disliked. Livia’s eyes strayed back to Giaus, who had managed to convince Rihtahtyn to furnish him with an actual beer.

Her heart twisted, wondering for the millionth time what her life would have been like if she had been able to do with magitek what Cid could do. Would Gaius have loved her then? Protected her the way he had Cid?

A small hand touching her side drew her attention and before Livia had a chance to protest she felt her ribs encircled by a small, scaled arms. Even drunk Dainty was perceptive enough to read Livia’s melancholy. The betrayed look in Livia’s eyes when she glanced at Gaius, even in the soft lantern light, was difficult to misinterpret.

“What are yo…. Oh…..” Livia tensed, then relaxed at the gentle hug.

Her mind, ever so slightly dulled from the alcohol struggled to recall the last time she had ever been hugged. Gaius had, once or twice, when she was very little and fallen and scrapped her knees or when she grew frustrated that Cid wouldn’t share one of his toys on the many occasions Gaius brought her to the Garlond Estates, but even then it had been a quick squeeze before being set back on her feet and sent off to play again.

Those hugs were to quiet her, to manage her rather than to actually comfort her. They were nothing like the way Dainty embraced her, calm and kind, the Au’ra resting her pointed chin on Livia’s shoulder, and compressing her slightly in the cool water.

 _Before she left for Eorzea Lucia hugged me like this…… once_.– Livia mused.

She had not heard word of her sister since that day, and knew not if the woman even still lived. It had not really mattered to her either way, they had never been close, and the death of their parents had separated them even further. Livia being taken in by Gaius and Lucia joining the Frumentari to be trained as a foreign operative.

The last thing Livia had heard Lucia goe Junius had gone incommunicado, and was presumed captured or killed, somewhere in Coerthas. Livia had accepted that news without tears. Her sister had basically been a stranger to her even way back then, and there was no need to cry over a stranger.

“Oi, got a tape measure?” Nero demanded, smacking Cid slightly harder than necessary in the shoulder. Cid considered this, dug in a pocket and produced one. Nero took it, capering gleefully into the yard.

“Nero, whattyadoin' ?” Cid chuckled, buzzed and following the blond our onto the lawn as Nero took to measuring the yard.

Out of all of them Nero held his liquor the best. He neither slurred, nor drawled and his movements remained controlled, even graceful. It was his actions that telegraphed his inebriated state. When sober Nero would never have thought to start measuring the yard at the Garlond estates with an almost fanatical precision.

“Fountain!” the taller Garlean reminded him. “All you’d need is 6 death claws arranged like…”

“I am not makin' Dainty a fountain constructed from yer bloody warmachina.”

“Well I hardly think she would prefer one made of your vastly inferior Reapers.” Nero retorted. “Her taste isn’t that bad. One presumes…. Then again, she did marry you. By choice even. Yeck.”

“Inferior? Ha! There’s alotta things that can be done on a Reaper that ya can’t do on a Death Claw.” Cid smirked. “Not that you’d know that, Tribunus hasn’t-had-a-date-since-8-years-before-the-Calamity laticlavus of the XIV years before a lady glances in yer direction.”

“HA!” Alisaie gave a bark of laughter at Cid’s teasing. Cid normally didn’t engage in trading bards with Nero but Cid was buzzed, and Nero had started it.

“Better no date than one that had to be given to me by my Daaaaad.”

“Yer just bitter cos you haven’t got a Dad.”

“At least mine never went crazy.”

“No, yours just offed himself to get away from you.”

“Woooow.” Alphinaud managed, slightly concerned at how brutal Cid and Nero were being.

“Relax, Cid and Nero have been doing this every time they are inebriated in each others’ presence for decades.” Rihtahtyn reassured Alphinaud.

“Did Nero’s father commit suicide?” Alisaie asked with a small frown, finally catching the meaning behind the joke.

“Not my place t’say.” Rihtahtyn declined to extrapolate, polishing off the pitcher of beer he had been drinking. He would have to make a determined effort to consume alcohol if he wanted to catch up as Nero had and Livia was in the process of doing.

“Nero’s p’rents starved t’death.” Gaius garbled, blithely as if discussing nothing more sinister than the weather. “Poor farmers. One got sick, th’other need’d th’second set o’hans to work the fields. Nero wentta school, as all Garelan children must. No more parents.”

“That is awful!” Alisaie gasped.

“A tragedy but a necessary evil.” Nero declared magnificently. “Can you imagine me behind the controls of a plow? My Genius utterly squandered by toiling in a field all day? My creations never to be shared outside the confines of my own mind? THAT would have been the far greater tragedy!”

“Says the idiot who spent most the night strutting about in his tighty whities and a slightly too small beret.” Cid pointed out, amused and paying no attention to Nero’s proclamations of grandeur.

“I made that beret look damn good, Garlond, and don’t you bloody forget it.” Nero gloated.

Cid laughed at Nero, drawing Livia’s eyes. 

Cid wasn’t a bad person, deep down she knew that. She just resented him for existing and couldn’t help but wonder what her life would have been like if Gaius’ attention hadn’t been so often drawn to the Garlond Estates. Would Gaius have paid more attention to her, or merely found someone else to ignore her in favor of?

Cid, giving up on talking any sort of sense into Nero, decided to just let him do as he pleased, returning to those seated further up the yard and quirked a smile at Livia and Dainty.

“Here, let me get her off you.” He offered, reaching for Dainty and alerting Livia that the Auri had fallen asleep on her.

“Let her be.” Livia scolded, giving him a glare, instantly doing the opposite of what Cid wanted. Partially to be contrary and partially because she had honestly been enjoying the Au'Ra's hugs. Cid had ever gotten his way entirely too much in Livia’s opinion. She angled an arm so that she could embrace Dainty and still get her drink to her mouth.

Cid looked at Livia in surprise, not expecting the Livia to tolerate such an affront upon her person so willingly, buzzed or not. Although her behavior was in keeping with Livia’s modus operandi, even when they were children. Anything he had ever requested, or offered her had been met with a resounding “no!”. Although from what Dainty had said earlier Cid now understood Livia’s dedication to her defiance a little more.

Livia looked away from Cid, taking a mouthful of drink and muttering mostly to herself; “Its actually kind of soothing. She don’t weight hardly anything at all.”

“Right?” Cid gave a light laugh, well familiar with Dainty’s propensity to turn into a snuggly lump of Auri pudding in her sleep and her hugs were amazing. He crouched down beside the trough to look at Dainty’s relaxed, peaceful features.

“She doesn’t drool does she?” Livia asked, momentarily concerned and Cid chuckled;

“Not that I have ever observed. Oh! Since you’re here. I’ve a surprise for you, Liv.” Cid grinned suddenly, standing and walking in the direction of the worskshop without further explanation.

Livia rankled slightly at being addressed as “Liv” by Cid. 

He had picked the habit up years ago from Gaius and enough time now had passed that it would reflect poorly upon her if she told him to stop but she honestly hated being addressed so informally by someone she disliked so intensely. Livia was just trying to decide if she ought to wake up Dainty to follow Cid when the Au’Ra gave a soft snort, and hugged her tighter.

“Your skin is so soft.” Dainty drawled, blithely ignoring that Livia may not have wanted the intrusion into her personal space before they were both utterly distracted by the sound of Cid riding a Magitek reaper up the lawn. Nero instantly abandoned his mutterings about the fountain to glare at Cid suspiciously.

“Your surprise?” Nero squawked in an accusatory tone of voice. “I built that and we both know it, Garlond!”

Cid had completed the painting of it so that is was a perfect, matte white but it was true that it was Nero that had constructed the Reaper alone.

“I made a couple improvements.”

“Lies, it was utterly perfect the way it was. I made it, after all. You could only have ruined my efforts.”

Cid soundly ignored him as Livia and Dainty extricated themselves from the tub. Dainty stumbled a little and Livia held out an arm to steady her on pure instinct.

“Nero’s about to get an education.” Dainty snorted, amused.

“C’mere, Liv. Jump up.” Cid said, climbing down, he offered her a hand to help her climb up, too well-mannered to do anything else.

Livia gave him a sour look, ignoring the proffered hand and jumping up into the White Devil easily and gracefully. She was a Tribunus, despite her current attire and blood alcohol content. She needed no assistance in anything physical and likely could soundly whip Cid's backside if ever given the slightest degree of opportunity.

Somewhere in the drunken corners of his mind it occurred to Gaius that that was a rather pleasant view, watching the dripping wet, small clothed Livia elegantly climbing into her custom made Reaper. As Alphinaud had acknowledged earlier she was, and always had been, a beautiful woman.

Dainty’s words regarding Livia’s value as a wife and mother played in Gaius’ liquor soaked mind. He was well aware of how beneficial physical beauty could be when it came to leading, and ruling. He and Livia would no doubt produce very fortunate looking children. 

He judged himself wrong too, for his disbelief in her being nurturing.

It had been kind of Livia to let Dainty drunkenly nap on her, and catch her from falling. Gaius certainly would never have allowed such an intrusion, Dainty had hugged him once, earlier and once only. 

Gaius had tolerated it for exactly 2 seconds before telling her to release his person and never attempt that again.

“Ok, press this button here, and hold it for 10 seconds, then, without releasing it, press this one.” Cid directed, pointing out a couple controls that the original White Devil had not possessed. 

Livia shrugged, and did so, noting that Cid backed up rapidly during the 10 count before she engaged the second button.

The Reaper shuddered and gave a little sway as it lost contact with the ground, its hydraulic legs giving a soft hiss as they folded against its body.

“Oh!” Livia gasped, looking at Cid, eyes alight with wonder and delight before she peered over the side. “It’s flying! My reaper is flying!”

“What the shitballs?” Nero commented, a jealous, startled expression on his face but was soundly ignored as Gaius, Rihtahtyn with Tataru still on his shoulder and the twins wandered down from where they had been sitting to get a better view. 

Dainty wrapped her arms around Alisaie from behind and rested her chin on the Elezen’s head, prompting a soft giggled from Alisaie. They were all much happier to have an affectionate drunk Dainty than a mean drunk Dainty, even if straying within arms range of her risked wet hugs.

“Technically, its levitating.” Cid corrected with a grin. “Those buttons engage the flight protocols. From now until you completely power it down you just have to pull the controls forwards sharply, and up until it clicks and that will engage the thrusters that will make it fly. Forward is down by your feet on the right….”

Livia, feeling her buzz, promptly stepped on the “forward” lever but she had yet to engage the flight controls and achieved nothing more than the Reaper shooting a long column of blue ceruleum flame out the back.

“….stop is down on the left. You need to activate the controls before it will go, Liv.”

“Never mind go! I can set things on fire!” Livia cackled, stomping on the “go” again and producing another burst of flame. Cid laughed at her reaction, he had somewhat anticipated she would particularly enjoy that feature, hence why he had backed up several paces before the White Devil was ever airborne. Dainty had insisted upon its inclusion and Cid had deferred to her greater knowledge when it came to weaponry.

“If you step on the “stop” without the flight controls activated the flame comes out the front.”

Livia promptly did so and laughed gleefully. 

She activated the flight controls and squealed in delight the wing like side panels, once shaped that way solely to be decorative, folded down sharply to form ailerons.

The White Devil moved seamlessly through the air at her commands, and Livia gasped with delight, flying it carefully in a neat circle. 

As Cid had once observed Livia felt all of her emotions, without reservation or filter. Anything bad produced deep melancholy whilst anything good produced utter ecstasy. Nursing a solid buzz did nothing to dim her joy. 

Her White Devil becoming flight capable was, at that moment, the greatest thing that had ever happened to Livia sas Junius.

“The entire thing was actually Dainty’s idea.” Cid admitted to the others. The suggested upgrade was a way to compensate for the heavy foot and Reaper traffic in the city while the quick travel system was offline had been an excellent idea and he did not wish to steal her credit.

“S’mazin’ wot you come up with when Dainty wants somethin’.” Gaius slurred at Cid, eyes narrowed.

“You have no idea.” Cid agreed unrepentantly. 

If Gaius only knew half the things he dreamed up, post coital with Dainty sprawled across his chest and drawing patterns on his skin lovingly while she listening to him theorize about Magitek Cid would never get away with refusing to make weaponry ever again.

Nero glared, watching Livia piloting the White Devil. She put it through landing maneuvers, running several paces, and taking off again, marveling at how it could go from ground mode to flight mode mid-step with a simple adjustment of the controls once the initial flight protocols were activated.

He knew how to make things levitate and fly, as her Reaper currently was. The Death Claws he had designed did the same thing, but they could not land. They were in constant flight or they did not move at all, much like the Allagans ADS that Nero had retrofitted the technology from. He had never quite figured out how to integrate everything so that the Magitek could go from ground movement to flight movement seamlessly while also being able to be controlled by a rider in both stances.

“How?” Nero demanded, pouting.

“Whazzamatter Nero? Don’t know how to do it yourself?” Cid grinned, getting his shots in where he could. “Admit that I am the superior Engineer and I will teach you how to do it.”

“Never!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was a really long epilogue but between Dainty kind of being a mean drunk and Nero being a really funny drunk I had a lot to say.


End file.
